Peterhead midfielder Conor O’Keefe is hoping to meet personal and team targets during the run-in to the end of the League Two season.
The 25-year-old returned to the starting XI in the 2-0 win over Stranraer last weekend and netted the opener at Balmoor Stadium.
It was his seventh league goal this season, making him the Blue Toon’s joint second top goalscorer alongside Rory McAllister, with Kieran Shanks leading the pack with one goal more.
This has been O’Keefe’s best scoring season throughout his senior career and he is delighted to be having an impact in Peterhead‘s fight for promotion.
The Blue Toon continue their bid to secure second place when they host fifth-placed East Fife on Saturday.
O’Keefe said: “I’m chasing Shanks down and I keep telling him that.
“I’m loving it. I was back playing last week and I loved it.
“I have set a target of trying to get double figures but once I am in the game it is more about trying to perform and doing anything you can to help the team get the win.
“Obviously when you score it is a great feeling. I want to keep scoring and getting assists to help the team out as much as I can now until the end of the season.”
Peterhead want to build momentum and secure promotion play-off spot
Last week’s win over Stranraer was Peterhead’s first in the league since late January and only their third clean sheet since November 4.
O’Keefe added: “We are hoping it can be a bit of a turning point.
“Our performances haven’t been bad most weeks, but we have just been conceding silly goals and haven’t been clinical enough at the other end.
“Getting a clean sheet and a win like that at this stage of the season is massive, so, hopefully, we can just go and kick on now.
“East Fife will be a big game. They are sitting just outside the play-offs, so if we can get the three points it helps move us clearer in second and keeps them further away from us.”
Finishing in the play-off spots is the ultimate aim, but O’Keefe knows finishing second could help boost their chances at securing promotion.
The Blue Toon are one point clear of Spartans in third and have a four-point advantage over Dumbarton in fourth.
O’Keefe said: “We want to finish in the play-offs in second. We don’t want to be going into the play-offs after maybe not winning for three or four weeks.
“We want to go into the play-offs after winning every game and going into the play-offs with some momentum.”
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