St Johnstone and Luke Jephcott have been playing catch-up this season.
But the Welsh striker believes that the progress of the group and individual are now being seen.
And the best is yet to come on both fronts.
“It’s been quite tough,” said Jephcott, who has yet to get off the mark for Saints or be part of a league victory.
“I’ve not got off to the start I wanted in terms of goals.
“But the goals are coming. It’s just a matter of time.
“It’s not uncommon for strikers to not score for a little while then get one and they’re flying.
“So hopefully that’s the case but it’s just a matter of keeping going and they will come.
“The team has shown in the last few weeks we’ve got enough quality in the squad to get results.
“We went away to Aberdeen, one of the better sides in the league, and got a draw. We’ve shown also at Celtic that we can get results.
“We know we’ve got to match those standards and that we’ve got the quality to do even better.”
Lay-off too long for Luke Jephcott
Last summer was Jephcott’s first without a club.
And the impact of missing out on a squad pre-season has been an eye-opener for the former Plymouth Argyle forward.
“Doing work at home is a lot different to doing it in a club,” he said.
“I had about 10 weeks of a summer, whereas it’s normally five or six.
“It was about trying to keep on top of it myself at home. In hindsight, I probably should have gone out and done more runs.
“You get given plans but it’s a different environment doing it yourself.
“Whereas when you’re in a club with team-mates, you’re pushing each other and you’ve got the staff to help you.
“It’s harder to get yourself going on your own away from everything.
“I’ve been pushed hard here now and I feel up to speed.
“I trained for two or three days and went straight into three games in a week – that was a shock to the system.
“It was clear I wasn’t where I needed to be. In the weeks we’ve not had a game it’s been pre-season work for me.
“I’m now feeling fit and ready to go.
“The manager has been working me very hard but it was something that needed to be done to get me up to speed and as fit as everyone else in the team.”
Fast and furious pace surprised St Johnstone striker
The required adaptation from English football to Scottish shouldn’t be underestimated. Certainly not for a centre-forward of Jephcott’s type.
“It’s been a lot more fast-paced game than I was expecting,” he admitted.
“That part has taken me a bit by surprise.
“In England it’s a lot slower, this is more end-to-end. I can feel myself adapting to that.
“Training is full-on and match-realistic too and it’s been good to get me up to speed with it.
“I got advice before I came to say it would be a lot different and a challenge.
“I was thinking: ‘It can’t be too much different’. But it is!
“I’m enjoying it, though – coming up here to play against some good opposition.”
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