Paulin thrilled to get 'monkey off his back.'

Jean-Michel Paulin keeps the opposition at Bay

Jean-Michel Paulin opened up his Central League goal account when he bagged the opener in the Central League clash against Lower Hutt last weekend.

In the game that resulted in the Blues emerging with a 5-1 victory, Rovers legend Chris McIvor also ensured his name was on the score sheet after he looped a header over the keeper,  while prolific scorer Angus Kilkolly netted a hat trick.

Scoring his first ever in a Blues jersey the new Canadian signing, Paulin, couldn't hide his delight.

"Finally!
​
"I came here and didn't find the net for the first four games, and I finally scored, so weight of my shoulder", says the ecstatic 24 year old.

"It's got the monkey off my back, for sure."

Today the Blues face Wellington Olympic in the second time in just over a week when the two teams face-off again, this time in the Chatham Cup.

In last weekends Central League fixture at Bluewater Stadium, Rovers showed no mercy when they thrashed the Wellingtonians 4-1, and Paulin says today the Blues side just need to keep playing the Rovers way to secure the cup victory.

"I think its going to be a tough test of character, but, I think if we pull off some of the performances we have done the last few weeks, then we'll be ok.

"We should face this game like we face every other game, and we should win."

Head coach Bill Robertson ahead of today's meeting says recent results have given the team a boost, but warns nothing can be taking for granted in a cup game.

"Its been a good period for us over the last month", says the Blues head man.

"Our recent 4-1 victory over Olympic obviously gives us momentum and confidence, however, the players are very aware the cup tie will be a completely different game and the league result will count for very little."

Goal machine Kilkolly has now scored 22 goals, including 20 league goals, in his last eleven appearances for Rovers, scoring consecutively in every game.

At just half way throw the season the Bay's golden boy is well on his way to making club history.

Former Rovers striker Gary Parker currently holds the league record of 37 goals scored in one season in 1986.

​Todays game kicks-off at 2pm, Bluewater Stadium.