Martyn Waghorn: Derby County striker thanks Paul Warne for scoring run
- Published
Paul Warne has played Martyn Waghorn in every game since he rejoined Derby on 7 August
Derby County striker Martyn Waghorn has put his scoring run down to his renewed confidence under boss Paul Warne.
Waghorn scored his first hat-trick in more than four years as the Rams won 4-2 at Peterborough on Saturday.
The 33-year-old has scored in three straight matches and has five goals in as many games since re-joining Derby.
"The third goal I was in the right position, it fell to me quite nicely and you've just got to trust yourself," he told BBC Radio Derby.
"Maybe me last year or the year before wouldn't have taken that on my right foot, but the way the manager has got confidence going in me again and self-belief, it's massive for myself and scoring goals can only promote that."
Waghorn scored two goals in 26 appearances for Coventry and Huddersfield last season, and just one in 29 matches in 2021-22 after joining the Sky Blues from Derby.
Saturday's treble was the former Leicester, Rangers and Ipswich forward's fifth career hat-trick and his first since hitting three for Derby in a 6-1 rout of Rotherham in March 2019.
"I'm very fortunate - five is a nice number to have," he added.
'Literally a force'
A third win in four took Derby up to eighth in League One and gave them a little revenge over Posh, who deprived them of the last play-off spot on the final day of last season.
Manager Paul Warne pushed for Waghorn's return after the forward impressed in a pre-season testimonial for his friend Craig Forsyth.
"It isn't what he does on the pitch alone, it's all the stuff off the pitch," Warne told BBC Radio Derby.
"How he is in the dressing room, how he drives training, how he picks the young ones up - he's literally a force.
"He's hard to compare to previous players, but we lost a bit of a force in the summer [David McGoldrick] and Waggy's doing really well to make his own way again."