Craig Sibbald is determined his first goal for Dundee United will definitely not be his last.
The midfielder opened his account for the Tangerines on Wednesday night, setting the seal on a vital victory over Ross County at Tannadice.
That late strike ended a long goal drought for the 27-year-old with Sibbald candidly confessing he could not remember exactly when he had last hit the back of the net.
The record books would tell him it was for former club Livingston against Cowdenbeath in the League Cup last July.
However, one thing Sibbald is certain of is that he now wants to score more goals for United.
Sibbald admitted: “It was a good feeling to get the three points against Ross County and on a personal level to score my first goal for United.
“I have missed the feeling of scoring a goal – it was so long ago I can’t remember!
“It must have been last season for Livi but I can’t put my finger on exactly when it was.
“That tells you everything and I should be scoring more goals.”
Sibbald was certainly more prolific when he was younger and playing at Falkirk, hitting double figures in the 2016/17 season.
And he admitted he would like nothing better than to rediscover that sort of scoring touch now.
Sibbald added: “The best I have ever had was 10 in a season so I need to get back to those sort of numbers.
“I have played deeper in recent years so maybe that’s why I have dropped off a wee bit.
“But I need to be scoring more and it’s something I definitely want to add back into my game.”
United drew against Hearts before the crucial win over Ross County that lifted them off the bottom of the Premiership table.
And Sibbald is determined the Tangerines’ momentum will continue to build against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park today.
He added: “We have come back sharp and it has been two good performances since the break.
“We want to go on a run now – the gaffer has been telling us we need to get more consistent.
“We need to produce the levels we showed against Hearts and County against everyone, starting with St Johnstone.
“Going there you have to start well because the first goal is so important in these games.
“We have to take our chances when they come along and keep it tight at the other end.”
‘Eventful’ first six months
Since joining United last summer, it has been a whirlwind few months for Sibbald with a poor run of results at the start of the season culminating in the sacking of manager Jack Ross.
Liam Fox took over as interim boss before being appointed permanently in September and Sibbald is determined to do his best for someone he knows well from his time as assistant manager at Livi.
The player said: “It was an eventful first six months but I have enjoyed it.
“Obviously you don’t want to be bottom of the league but this is a massive club with a great fanbase, so it’s somewhere you should enjoy playing.
“We got the continuity with the manager taking over and that was good for me because I knew him from Livingston.
“He knows what I can do and I know what he’s all about, so it’s good to have that. It was a bit of relief when he got the job because I was new to the club.
“But you still have to do it on the pitch even though you have worked with the manager before.
“I want to do my best for the club and for him.”
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