Notts County defender Adam Chicksen says he has been working on getting into more attacking positions and finally reaped the rewards against Solihull Moors on Monday, scoring the only goal of the game to maintain Notts' unbeaten start to the season.
The Magpies passed up a number of opportunities in the first half and could have been comfortably ahead at the break, but it was the Zimbabwean's strike in the 65th minute that proved to be the difference.
Chicksen was on hand to volley home Matty Palmer's looping cross, side-footing the ball beyond Louie Moulden to net his first goal since their National League play-off semi-final defeat to Torquay United in 2021.
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But the goal came as no surprise to the 30-year-old, explaining he has been working on getting in more advanced positions to create chances for his team-mates and even trying to grab a goal himself.
Speaking after the game, Chicksen said: "We have worked a lot on positioning and where we should be in the box, and I have been trying to get in those positions every time the ball gets whipped in.
"I have been near for a couple of games now, and it's nice to know I am getting in the right positions and then when it finally gets there, I actually get on the end of one and it was a good finish and I am happy to get on the scoresheet.
"But even more so, I am happy with the performance and how the lads performed throughout the game."
It is now six games unbeaten for Luke Williams' side in the National League this season, moving up to fourth position ahead of their trip to Dagenham and Redbridge this Saturday.
And whilst two wins in three days has given Notts fans the perfect Bank Holiday weekend, the defender insisted that they have now set the bar with those two performances, and he intends to maintain that standard moving forward.
"I feel like we are knowing how to deliver those performances now," explained Chicksen.
"You see us get better as a team every game, similar movement, similar runs and similar work rate so we're hoping as a team we can keep that bar at that level and keep progressing into the next games with that level of performance."
Coming into the game, The Moors were also unbeaten and the joint-top scorers along with the Magpies after six games, but Neal Ardley's side rarely troubled Sam Slocombe all afternoon.
And whilst putting in a dominant display against a potential play-off rival come the end of the season, Chicksen explained that Notts understand they are one of the top teams in the division, and they thrive off playing the better teams in the National League and fear no one in the fifth tier.
"We are one of the better teams in this league so when we go up against them, there's no fear.
"When I look at the lads in the changing room and how we're training and setting up opportunities and I don't think as a team we should fear anyone in this league and if you're seeing how we are going up against the top teams in this league, we don't fear them.
"We respect them, we show them as much respect as we need to but we're going to win the game."
