It was his second goal in Carlisle United colours – and highlighted his goal-poaching attributes to a T.
When a tight game was waiting to be decided, it took a piece of classic penalty-box work by Kristian Dennis to do it for Carlisle United.
He pounced to drive home a loose ball after Jordan Gibson had seen a shot blocked by the Bristol Rovers defence.
It was a telling piece of anticipation by the experienced striker.
And the way he got himself into the right place to meet the chance was no accident, says Blues’ No2 Gavin Skelton.
“When you watch the goal back…Omari [Patrick] does brilliantly, with a great bit of skill, then Gibbo [Jordan Gibson] shows great composure,” Skelton explains.
“As he chops in, you can see Kristian’s body position move.
“His reaction is, ‘This could come to me here’. Rather than ballwatching and reacting, he’s proactive.
“That’s maybe without even realising it or thinking about it.
“He just opens his shoulder up and he’s ready for that and slots it away.”
Dennis’s instincts have been on show in United’s last two games, with the January signing opening his Blues account with the winner at Barrow the previous weekend.
His line-leading play has also benefited Paul Simpson’s side in further ways, and Skelton, speaking ahead of tonight’s trip to Rochdale, is full of praise for the ex-St Mirren, Notts County and Chesterfield man.
“His overall play has been really good,” Skelton says.
“We knew he was a good goalscorer, from Chesterfield, St Mirren etc – he’s got a really good record, but his overall play’s been really pleasing, and so has his commitment to the team.”
Dennis will look to make it three in a row at the Crown Oil Arena tonight, after a victory over Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers which was as impressive as United have enjoyed in this fine run under Simpson.
READ MORE: Carlisle United: Inside selfless Kristian Dennis' key role in the Blues' revival
Asked what impressed him most about the performance, Skelton again refers to the front of the team.
“It was the amount of chances we created,” he says. “We really worked the keeper [James Belshaw], who is a good keeper.
“I know they had a lot of possession, and they were a really good side. In a strange way I enjoyed watching how they moved the ball and how they played.
“But it wasn’t just one or two chances we created and then you’re hanging on. I always felt we had a chance in us.
“We had that belief, as the game went on. We weren’t thinking about hanging on, we thought we could go and get one, and rightly we did.
“Just before we scored, Joe [Riley] got down the side and someone should have got across the front post. The keeper’s made a brilliant save from Kristian.
“You could feel the crowd behind us and that goal almost coming.
“Then to see the game out…it was a nightmare for Kelvin [Mellor] and Rod [McDonald], it’s really hard coming on the last five-ten minutes to defend, because you’re on a hiding to nothing.
“If you concede one, they feel guilty even if they shouldn’t, but they looked really composed.
“I can’t really remember them, in the last 10-15 minutes, including the injury time, [giving us many scares] which is a brilliant reflection for them…because there’s no cause of concern.
“Kelvin’s had no game time but slotted in great, Rod as experienced as he is was nice and composed for us.”
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