Oli Shaw is on course for his best ever goalscoring season by a considerable distance – and he admits he’s delighted.
The Kilmarnock No 9 has already matched his 2020/21 total of eight with Ross County – so just one more strike would ensure he’s on for a personal record-breaking campaign.
The hitman bagged the cinch Championship Player of the Month award for October, and fans also voted for him to win the Kilmarnock Standard Player of the Month gong.
And he says he’s delighted with his form that has ensured Killie are top of the league.
Speaking exclusively to the Standard he said: “I am pleased with the individual awards, but it was just a good month for the team.
“Getting the award is good on a personal note, but I wouldn’t be scoring the goals if the team weren’t creating chances, so credit to them – long may it continue.
“We had some big results in October, the form took us top of the league, so hopefully we are still there come the end of the season.
“I was delighted with October in goalscoring terms, individually I have got targets I set, so for me to get five or six goals in the one month is pleasing.
“Most importantly we were picking up wins along the way, but I’ll just keep trying to score the goals.
“Obviously as a striker you want to come in and score goals, to score the amount of goals I have so far and in important games, it’s pleasing.
“I am on track for my best goalscoring season if I keep up the way I have been scoring."
Shaw admits the lure of a title challenge was enough to tempt him to Rugby Park, despite going down a league.
He said: “It’s good fighting at the top end of the table, that’s one of the main reasons I came here.
“It was a challenge I was relishing, knowing the players that are here and knowing they’d create chances for me, I always back myself to take the chances, so having those players around me and the trust of the manager was an important part in my decision.
“The gaffer has been great for me, knowing how much he wanted me was important.
“I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to come here, the boys have been good, the staff have been great for me too.
“We had a lot of new boys coming in during the summer too, it’s a relatively new squad compared to others in the league.
“You wouldn’t think we are a squad of lads who only got put together a few months ago, we have got a great understanding with each other. “
He added: “The boys have been getting used to each other, we have been working on things like shape constantly too so that helps with familiarity.
“I hadn’t had a run of games for a while, when I did have a run of games at Ross County I then suddenly came out of the team, I don’t know why.
“But getting the phone call from Tommy [Wright, manager] and him saying I’ll play regularly as long as I am doing well, that was important.
“I think I have been doing well, scoring goals and that’s the most important thing as a striker.
“Getting a run of games and that consistency is really important for me.”
Arguably Shaw’s most important goal in October came against bitter rivals Ayr United to secure a 1-0 win at Somerset Park.
And Shaw, who was the coolest player on the park as he stepped up to take an 89th minute penalty, says all he focused on was picking his spot.
He said: “It was a great feeling scoring the penalty, I didn’t realise how late it was at the time!
“To step up there, seeing the travelling support going wild and cheering my name, it was a great feeling.”
He added: “How do I deal with that high pressure situation? I just pick my spot, I wasn’t changing no matter what.
“You then just put your foot through it and hope that it hits the back of the net.
“Thankfully I seen the goalkeeper step the other way and it went in, it was a good feeling to get that goal and the important three points.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
