SWANSEA CITY striker Jason Scotland has vowed to get back to goal-scoring ways after a slump in form.
Scotland started the season in fine fettle and already had six goals to his name by mid-September.
But the Trinidad and Tobago international has failed to find the net in the Swans’ last six games, causing some to question his place in Roberto Martinez’s starting XI.
With Darryl Duffy fit again and Warren Feeney grabbing four goals in as many games, the pressure is now on Scotland.
The skilful striker knows he has more to offer and he is hoping one moment of magic can get his season back on track.
“I’m not happy with my own form,” he admitted. “I could be doing better, but form seems to come and go just like that.
“When it came I got goals and when it’s gone, it’s really gone. Hopefully I can get a goal on Saturday and change that.
“I just think I was getting at people and doing more around the pitch before. I’m not doing that as regularly at the moment.
“Obviously it’s not up to standard. But it will just take one moment for it to change.
“I’m still feeling fresh and fit, but something needs to change. Hopefully it will on Saturday.”
Despite concerns with his own form, Scotland is happy Feeney’s recent run of goals has eased the pressure on him.
Irrespective of who scores, he insists so long as the team are winning, the strikers are doing their jobs.
“Warren seems to be scoring goals and it’s going well for him,” he said. “Obviously I haven’t got one in six games, but it’s OK so long as the other striker is scoring.
“I’m happy for Warren because he is getting goals and we are doing well. It’s like when I was scoring, Duffs wasn’t. But you still play your part and it can take the pressure off you if someone else is getting the goals. As long as we keep getting goals it doesn’t matter who scores. If you’re not winning, people look at strikers and say they aren’t doing their job.
“It’s not frustrating for me at the moment. But it would be if the team was losing and I wasn’t scoring.”
Despite his current drought, having six goals by now is still a decent return for Scotland’s first season in the Football League.
But he has set his sights on winning the Swans golden boot this season and as such is desperate to start scoring again.
“I’m happy to have six goals already,” he said. “But I think I can get more.
“It’s just disappointing that I haven’t scored in five games. It would be pleasing to be top goalscorer. It could happen and hopefully it will, but it’s still early days.”
Scotland looks set to have the chance to add to his tally against seventh-placed Hartlepool at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow.
He admits he doesn’t know much about Danny Wilson’s men, but still expects them to put up a strong challenge.
“I can’t really say much about Hartlepool,” he said. “I haven’t played in League One and I don’t know much about them. But we will go about business as usual. I’m sure Hartlepool will come at us and provide a tough task.”
If the Swans win, they will keep their place at the top of League One. Scotland is enjoying the club’s current status, but knows it won’t be easy to hold on to it.
“It’s our first time at the top of the league since I joined, so it feels good,” he added.
“It feels good to come into work and there is a real buzz about the place.
“We can’t get carried away though because it is still early days. Hopefully we can maintain our run and keep going.”