If you don't buy a ticket you can't win the raffle.

That saying sums up the way I have been approaching games recently.

Since my last column we have beaten Birmingham City 2-1 at St. Andrews and Bradford 2-0 at Valley Parade and although I have not scored in those matches, the three points and my overall performance have been far more important than whether Shaun Goater's name is on the scoresheet or not.

Chances have come thick and fast, some I have missed through my own fault and some have been saved by some excellent goalkeeping, but as I keep saying you have to get them to miss them.

Against Birmingham I had two opportunities of note, but 'keeper Ian Bennett pulled off a pair of excellent saves. In particular the last one left me unable to understand how it had not gone in. I was about 12 yards out and chested the ball across the defender before volleying it, the ball came back out to me and I hit it sweeter than the initial effort and he saved it again.

I just said to myself: "Tonight is not going to be my night".

Despite those frustrations I thought I played well, having done everything but score, and that led me to go into the Bradford game confident.

It was not to be. In all the seasons I have been playing football I cannot remember having as many chances as I did against them on Friday night and not come away with a goal.

But what is good about my current situation is that other players, who were not scoring earlier in the season, are now chipping in with goals and it all serves to ease the pressure a little bit.

It would be wrong to say I don't feel any though. We recently bought a new striker in Jon Macken and I wouldn't be human if I didn't think about that. You can't disregard something like that and believe your position in the side is safe regardless of how you perform. It would be foolish and that is not me.

But I can't let it get to me. I have to stay focused and not let things that are beyond my control affect my game.

If someone had said at the start of the season you are going to score 29 goals this year I would have settled for that. It's only because there are nine games to go and the past three I haven't scored that people are making something of it and saying I could have scored 34 or 35.

That comes from people's expectation of me and in many ways it's a compliment. They have come to expect Shaun to score every couple of games.

But at the same time as being flattering, if my head is not right, it can act as a pressure, so it is important for me to get back to scoring, starting with Crewe tonight.

They are struggling near the bottom, but have no doubt about they will raise their game against us. If I was playing against City I would raise my game - we are that kind of a club.

Teams also would like to play their part in us not getting promoted but if we can get an early goal I think it can end up a handsome win. Here's hoping.

Boss praises Goater

- see Page 23