'Jumping three leagues was never going to be plain sailing': Tom Cursons on the goal trail for Harrogate Town
Tom Cursons is looking to produce some consistent goalscoring form after finally getting off the mark for Harrogate Town this season.
The January signing from Ilkeston scored twice for the Sulphurites last season but did not find the net again until last week's Football League Trophy win over Newcastle United Under-21s, scoring two.
He then marked his 24th birthday with Harrogate's goal in Saturday's 1-1 League Two draw at Notts County. It was, he says, a weight off his mind.
“I got off the mark against Newcastle so it was, 'Okay, can I get off the mark in the league as well?',” he admitted.
“To do that was a relief as much as anything and now hopefully I can use that as a springboard to try and stay in the team, get a run of games and keep putting the ball in there because that's what I'm here to do, it's what I enjoy doing.
“There's more to my job than just putting the ball in the net, but that's the one that I get judged on the most.
“This season's been a bit of a rollercoaster for me, being out of the team a lot, but it's just part of the learning experience. It was never going to be plain sailing jumping three leagues.
“I had a bit of a free hit last season to adapt. I feel like I did that well and then probably didn't quite start the way I wanted to this year, but hopefully now I can find my rhythm a little bit.”
Cursons says the brace against Newcastle changed his mindset.
“All strikers are pretty confidence-based,” he said. “Once you get one, you feel like things are going to start dropping for you.
“If you'd asked me a month ago, does that (Saturday's chance) drop to me in the box? I'd probably go, 'Oh, I'm just not getting them.' After Newcastle, now I'm feeling like the balls are dropping for me.
“So it's a mental thing.”