THERE'S more to Ross Hannah's game than just tap-ins – and he has another chance to show it at Macclesfield Town this evening (7.45pm).
The Grimsby Town striker netted his tenth goal of the season in Monday's victory at Stockport County with a stunning 25-yard effort.
That strike ended the Mariners' six-game winless run, consolidated their place in the play-off spots, and halted Hannah's three-month goal drought.
After penning a permanent deal with Town in early January, the usually prolific 26-year-old has endured one of the most frustrating periods of his career.
But despite his lean spell in front of goal, the former Bradford City frontman has ten goals in 21 starts to his name this season.
Town joint boss Paul Hurst is hoping that Easter Monday's finish will kick-start Hannah's campaign – and help his side to promotion.
"Ross has been under the weather in terms of confidence in his general finishing. With any practicing we've been doing, he hasn't been his usual self," Hurst told the Telegraph.
"You can see him beating himself up if he misses the target or doesn't score.
"But he scored a couple of nice ones in the warm-up on Monday and the goal he got was an excellent one.
"I was really pleased for him. We had a chat before the game about how you have to keep trying – if you don't get in the positions to score you never will.
"He is capable of scoring all sorts goals. He is very much seen as a 'Johnny on the spot' and a six-yard box player at times, but I've seen enough of his goals to say otherwise.
"Some players will never score from 30 yards, but Ross has got all sorts of goals in him and on that left-foot he's always got a chance."
The confidence that appears to have been missing from Hannah and his team-mates over the last month flooded back in a thrilling second half at Edgeley Park.
And Hurst is hopeful that can prove to be a turning point for the individual and the team.
He added: "Like anyone, players play better when they're confident and things are going their way.
"If you're a defender that comes from heading it, kicking it, doing the basics well and keeping clean sheets.
"With Ross, and goal-scorers in particular, it's scoring goals that makes you feel much better about yourself.
"We want a lot more from them. But from a selfish point of view, I'm sure that at times they go home and think 'at least I scored even if I didn't play that well.'
"On Monday, Ross looked brighter and that goal should give him the boost he needs.
"More importantly, it will hopefully inject a bit of confidence back into the players ready for the remaining games.
"We've looked a little goal-shy recently and that's not just the strikers – that's as a team."
