Crystal Palace winger earns 2018/19 prize for his incredible long-range volley against Man City in December 2018

Andros Townsend has won the 2018/19 Carling Goal of the Season award for his sensational long-range strike at Manchester City in Matchweek 18.

The Crystal Palace winger fired a first-time volley from more than 25 yards past Ederson in a 3-2 win that was the champions' only home defeat all season.

After he picked up the December 2018 Carling Goal of the Month award for his wonderful effort at Etihad Stadium, Townsend said he did not realise quite how good it was until he watched it back on TV.

'Wow, that is special'

"We got a free-kick and the ball's dropped out of the air," he said. "I just thought, 'Yeah, it's sat up perfectly, I'm going to hit this.'

"I didn't really know how good a goal it was. Everyone was saying, 'It was incredible, it was the best goal I've ever seen.'

"I just thought it was a volley from outside the box and it's not until I watched it back, then I thought, 'Oh wow, maybe that is a bit special.' "

The winner of the Carling Goal of the Season Award 2018/19 is … 🥁

@CPFC’s @andros_townsend 🦅🏆



For his sublime volley, in a thrilling 3-2 win away against @premierleague champions, @ManCity 👏



Congrats, Andros! pic.twitter.com/kGHu1k6GlI — Carling (@carling) May 21, 2019

The 27-year-old’s goal won thanks to the combined votes of a panel of experts and the public, who picked their favourite via the Carling website or the Carling Tap app.

It topped a 10-goal shortlist that comprised each of this season’s monthly winners plus Vincent Kompany's strike for Manchester City against Leicester City in May.

Townsend becomes the final 2018/19 season awards winner, after EA SPORTS Player of the Season Virgil van Dijk, Barclays Manager of the Season Pep Guardiola and Premier League 2 Player of the Season Aaron Connolly.

He is the third winner of the Carling Goal of the Season award, after Sofiane Boufal's individual goal for Southampton in 2017/18 and Emre Can's acrobatic effort for Liverpool in 2016/17.

See: This season's player awards