He’s taken the step up from understudy to first-choice goalkeeper this season, and now Daniel Akpeyi’s performances have seen him land a major Absa Premiership award.

See images from the award ceremony in the gallery above!

The Nigerian shot-stopper was signed by the Glamour Boys as a backup goalkeeper with Itumeleng Khune injured and battling fitness problems, however he has this season managed to become Ernst Middendorp’s number one ‘keeper ahead of the likes of Bruce Bvuma.

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Akpeyi kept another clean sheet on Wednesday evening as the Amakhosi saw off Stellenbosch FC with a 4-0 victory that sent them 10 points clear at the top of the league table, but it was his performances in September and October – where he kept four clean sheets in five games – that saw him scoop the Player of the Month award.

Speaking to Chiefs’ official website after accepting his gong, the 33-year-old said, “Every game I played prepared me for the next game. The games before the Sundowns match got me ready for that game. As a player you want to win important games – the game against Sundowns was an important one and it was a game I was delighted that we won.

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“I want to thank the coaching crew, the head coach and our goalkeeper coach Lee Baxter. They were patient with me and helped me along the way. To all the players as well in the squad for being supportive and to my fellow goalkeepers, I would like to say our department has healthy competition because we push each other to be the best, I thank them as well.”

Chiefs now wait until December 7 for their next game, with Bloemfontein Celtic the next challengers to end their seven-game winning streak.