Jack Barham has set his sights on finishing top scorer at Maidstone after being named National League South player-of-the-month for March.

Barham’s third hat-trick of the season in the win against Havant on Saturday took his tally to 15 goals.

That’s some going for a player who missed the first few months of the season through injury, and didn’t get off the mark until mid-December.

He scored four goals in March to win the monthly award, including a late winner in a 3-2 victory over Hungerford, both goals in a 2-1 success at Braintree and the clincher as United beat Dulwich 2-0.

You’d have got long odds against anyone beating Joan Luque in the scoring charts, given the Spaniard’s brilliant form this season.

But Barham is suddenly only six behind his team-mate as Maidstone bid to win the National South title.

With six league games still to go, it’s not out of the question for Barham to pip Luque, who scored his 21st of the season from the penalty spot in the 4-0 win over Havant.

“I know Luque’s top scorer but I always think if I hadn’t missed all those games, where would I be now?” said Barham, who gave Maidstone an early two-goal lead against Havant before Luque’s spot-kick.

“But everything happens for a reason and I’m just glad I’m firing on all cylinders now.

“I’m enjoying my football. If I don’t score but we win I’m still happy, but if I can help the team and score as many as I can, that’s what I’ll keep doing.

“I've got my eye on finishing top scorer, especially league goals, because I think he’s got 19 and I’ve got 15, so I’m slowly catching him and chipping away.

“It’s just down to me whether to put my foot on the gas but I’m enjoying it, so there’s nothing stopping me at the moment.

“I’m playing games and scoring goals and enjoying myself, and you play your best football when you’re enjoying it.

“I’ve been at Dorking at Dartford in this league and it was a case of proving a few people wrong this season but the main thing was to enjoy my football and Hak (boss Hakan Hayrettin) has let me do that.

“When I came back from injury I was in and out, and I had to get my fitness up, but once I got one goal I knew it would start clicking. Hak’s given me the shirt and he’s believed in me.”

Barham completed his hat-trick against Havant in the 89th minute. He might have had it earlier but there was no way Luque was giving up penalty duties.

“I let him have that one,” said Barham.

“He’s been ruthless with his penalties but I could have taken it and missed and it would still have been 2-0. I knew he was going to take it.

“He’s the penalty-taker and his family were over from Spain, so it was nice for him to get that goal in front of them.”