FC Halifax Town: I'll re-discover my goal-scoring touch, says Peniket

The striker missed 10 months of football stretching across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons due to a cruciate ligament injury and has not found the net since scoring at Aldershot on March 10 last year.

Peniket spurned some glorious chances to end his drought towards the climax of last season and admits he needs a goal to get his confidence flowing again.

He said: “A few goals would be nice to get my confidence back.

“As soon as one goes in it’s that monkey off my back, I won’t think about it anymore and it’ll come naturally to me.

“It was a mental things towards the end of last season and I just couldn’t find a way - maybe I was passing it when I should have shot.

“You’ve just got to stay positive and as long as your performances are there and you’re helping the team, that’s all you can do.

“But the goals will come.

“I’ve scored goals from when I was in youth teams so I back myself.

“I’ll work in my finishing in pre-season and once that comes you’ll see a player back to his best.”

The 23-year-old has been working on his fitness during the close season and feels ready for the upcoming campaign.

He said: “I feel the best I’ve felt in a while.

“I feel sharp. Last season my legs would feel tired.

“Having 10 months out and going straight back into action was tough.

“I felt I was coming back to my best in the last couple of games and I felt like my pace was back.

“It was a bit of a pain for the season to end, especially ending on such a high with winning at Wembley - you just want to play again the next week.

“I hope with a full pre-season you’ll see the best of me this season.

“A big part of my game is running a lot so I need that top level of fitness.”

Peniket was happy to extend his stay at Halifax after agreeing a one-year deal this summer following a lengthy discussion with manager Billy Heath.

He said: “I think it was a case of seeing who the manager was going to be, but I had a long chat with him and everything was positive.

“I’m delighted to still be here.

“A good man manager is important for me.

“When a manager communicates with me I seem to get more out of myself.

“He seems a very good man manager, he knows exactly what he wants from his players.

“I’ve been impressed so far.

“I think he’s got both sides to him where if a lad needs an arm round his shoulder, he’s there but if someone needs a kick up the backside, he’s there for that as well.

“All the lads have taken to him so far.

“We’re not in the season yet and when it starts and players aren’t getting picked it might be a bit different!

“But it’s so far, so good.”

The former Fulham forward believes he and the other members if Town’s squad that were relegated last season have put the experience behind them.

“After relegation you need time to lick your wounds,” he added.

“With the lads who have stayed have chosen to stay, so it’s not as if they want to leave and they’re trying to get a new club.

“They want to be part of a successful team this season so the relegation has gone now.

“It’s all about getting ourselves ready for this season.

“There was a lack of stability last season with three different managers and a big turnover of players.

“So it’s good to get a group together early on in pre-season, we’ve got a good squad and we’ve got time to get to know each other.

“That’s definitely a positive and a difference from last season.”