Danny Swanson has doubled his goals target for the season after grabbing his 10th for St Johnstone at Tynecastle on Saturday.
Swanson scored another cracker for the Perth men in their 2-2 draw with Hearts and has now netted more times this season than any other in his career…and it’s only November.
He revealed that confidence has been the key to his achievements thus far and now he wants to keep on hitting the back of the net.
He said: “I am delighted with 10 goals, which was the target I set at the start of the season.
“I might go for 20 now!
“That’s my highest total for a season and I think it’s just down to confidence, which is a massive thing in football.
“I’ve got it and the gaffer lets me go out and do what I want and enjoy myself.
“If you are confident then you are not scared to try things and that’s what I’m like at the moment.”
Hearts had taken the lead with a disputed goal on 25 minutes when a Prince Buaben header was ruled to have crossed the line despite the efforts of Saints defender Brian Easton.
The visitors recovered and hit back four minutes from the interval with a terrific break upfield that was finished off by Swanson after a defence-splitting pass from Steven MacLean.
The ball from MacLean was brilliant and the finish – a switch from left to right that had defender John Souttar spinning then a curling shot past Hamilton – was just as sublime.
The scorer acknowledged the key role played by his colleague.
“That is what Steven does, to be fair to him,” said Swanson
“He is top-drawer to play with and he helped me out there.
“I don’t play up front very much and he was a big helping hand.
“It was a great pass and that’s just what Steven does.”
After sticking the ball in the net, the 29-year-old former Hearts and Dundee United player was given stick by some home supporters but it clearly didn’t bother him.
Swanson added: “I was getting pelters about my weight for some reason.
“I gave some of it back.
“That’s just football – a bit of pantomime.
“They give me some stick and I give it back – I’m happy with that.
“I just came to play for St Johnstone. I don’t worry about Hearts anymore.
“They have some right good players here so I don’t think they miss me.
“But I’m delighted that it has worked out for the best.
“I enjoyed it here (Tynecastle) but it wasn’t to be and I’m a much better player now.”
Boss Tommy Wright lavished praise on Swanson, who continues to enjoy a resurgence at the Perth club.
“Danny’s goal, if you didn’t look at the colour of the shirts, people wouldn’t think it was a St Johnstone goal,” said Wright.
“There is some great passing, great movement and a brilliant pass through by Steven MacLean for Danny.
“Danny is a quality player who can lift the game, find space and make things happen.
“He enjoys that role.
“People might say he and Macca can’t play together but they can.
“He is enjoying his football and is right on top of his game.”
Saints’ substitute Chris Kane looked to have secured victory for the visitors with just four minutes to go when he poked a shot past keeper Jack Hamilton from eight yards.
However, Callum Paterson – so often the hero for the Edinburgh side – sent a header down and into the net just a minute later to tie it at 2-2.
Wright added: “I am pleased with the performance.
“It’s a good point.
“Of course, there is disappointment to take the lead and lose it again so quickly but I’m not going to criticise the players because I thought they were magnificent.
“They gave as good as they got.”
On what was, overall, a decent day for Saints there was some bad news.
It came in the form of yet another injury to midfielder Chris Millar, who came off immediately after Buaben’s goal with a torn hamstring.
His manager clearly felt he should have come off sooner than he did.
Wright said: “I’m being nit-picky there but if he had come off earlier we would have had a fit player in there when Prince Buaben broke through the middle.
“Chris couldn’t keep up with him.
“So maybe if we had a fit player in there we could have prevented their first goal and that annoys me as a manager.
“Chris has had a few injuries now and that’s another one.
“Obviously, it is a concern.”
