Elgin City forward Shane Sutherland is determined to keep scoring the goals to lift the Black and Whites into the promotion play-offs after winning the League 2 player of the month award for January.
Sutherland was rewarded after finding the net six times in four league matches in January, taking the attacker on to 23 goals for the season in all competitions.
The 26-year-old returned for a third spell at Borough Briggs last summer, following a season with League 1 club Peterhead.
Although Elgin trail leaders Forfar Athletic by 15 points, Jim Weir’s men remain on course for a play-off finish and Sutherland is eager to finish the job off.
He said: “We’re in a strong position now to reach the play-offs. Forfar are in a really strong position and the title is theirs to lose. But we’ve still to play them and if we could win that game then we’d put more pressure on them.
“We’ve still got 45 points to play for so there’s still a chance anything could happen, but we’re under no illusions it’s a tough task.
“Every forward has an aim at the start of the season. I won’t say what mine is or was, but I don’t want to set the benchmark too high.
“I set myself a target at the start of the season and I surpassed that. I set myself another target and I passed that again and now I have another target in my head which I’ll be aiming for between now and May. Hopefully, if I reach that target, the club can achieve its goals. I’m delighted, awards like this are always welcome any time they come along.
“It’s nice to get noticed by the people out there watching the games, and I think my form this season has been good so I’m pleased.
“I won this award in January last year when I was at Peterhead so I’m not sure why, but I seem to play well after Christmas.
“Of course, the team has played well overall.
“We won three, drew one and a lot of individuals in the team have been doing well.
“But I suppose to get six goals, and three assists as well is pretty good going and I’ll be doing all I can to ensure it continues.”
After starting his career with Premiership club Caley Thistle, Sutherland has been part-time since joining Elgin permanently for the first time in 2013.
The Wick-born attacker remains ambitious but will not be distracted from his performances for the Moray side, and he added: “I still have the ambition to play at the highest level I can, but I’m just really grateful to be given the opportunity to play at Elgin, and previously at Peterhead.
“If teams were watching me and were to come in for me I’d have to just put it to the back of my mind. That’s just the way I am. If something comes of it, I’ll explore it at the end of the season. But I’ll never lose the ambition to play at the highest level, even if it’s part-time.”
