Mick McDermott described Danny Purkis as a "real specimen" after the striker netted a late brace to ease Glentoran to victory against Linfield on Friday night.
Purkis came off the bench to head home the Glens' second goal in the 76th minute before adding some gloss with an injury time strike to complete the 3-0 victory.
The 27-year-old is enjoying his second spell at the Oval, after a stint in the Amateur League with East Belfast and with Premiership side Glenavon.
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McDermott said Friday's Big Two double was "massive for Danny" and says the club always knew what they were getting when they signed him in the summer.
"He has been superb," McDermott said.
"We always knew what we were getting with Danny. He always caused us problems when he was with Glenavon. We knew he was at the Glens before.
"You hear stories and people always tell you 'don't sign this player' or 'sign that player'. But we knew Danny and we wanted to get him.
"We knew his quality, and he is probably one of the fittest lads in our team. It is frightening how far ahead of the boys he is.
"He looks a bit like me with the shirt off.
"But he is impressive, a real specimen. And when he gets moving he is hard to stop.
"And to score two goals in a Big Two game, I think he will remember that for a while.
"He did well."
Friday's derby success was punctuated by several big performances.
Bobby Burns - who scored the opener - impressed, while Shay McCartan and Conor McMenamin posed a menacing attacking threat throughout.
"I thought we played well," McDermott said.
"I thought the level of performance was pleasing and the win is massive. But it is just three points.
"The performance was most pleasing. We looked energetic, fast, powerful, fit, quick - all the things you're looking from in a team.
"And I think we showed that tonight.
"Conor McMenamin was doing what he does. Shay McCartan did what we always knew he could do.
"But everyone from goalkeeper right through, with or without the ball, worked tremendously well.
"We controlled possession and areas of the pitch and we eventually wore them down and got the first goal."
He added: "I think there is more to come.
"You saw what Bobby Burns can do in the middle of the park. You've seen what James Singleton can do in there. And people were critical of us playing them in that position.
"Shay McCartan, I thought was on a completely different level tonight. That's what he is capable of.
"Shay came here last year and people were giving him and us a bit of stick. But we never gave him any stick."
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