Jonathan Tomkinson credits his loan move to Ross County with bringing out his enjoyment for football again.
American defender Tomkinson was a January loan signing from Norwich City, on a deal until the end of the season.
Tomkinson is out of contract with the Canaries in the summer, although his parent club hold an option to extend his deal by a further 12 months.
The 22-year-old has made just three senior appearances for Norwich,and had grown frustrated at the lack of first team action in the opening stages of this season.
Tomkinson made 28 appearances during a successful loan stint with English League Two side Bradford City last season.
Having started County’s last five matches, Tomkinson believes he is quickly rediscovering his momentum.
Tomkinson said: “I have found my love for the game again. It was a difficult six months before I got here.
“It has been an enjoyable time, especially when we have been winning.
“The St Johnstone game isn’t a night we will look back on and be too happy about, so we will do everything we can to change that.
“I was looking for games, and I was looking for wins.
“I wanted to really establish myself again in the game, and find that enjoyment again.
“The season before, I got used to playing a lot of first team football.
“I had that taken away from me in the last six months, playing under-21s.
“To be back in a first team environment, especially in a top division, is really exciting.”
No panic after Staggies fall to defeat in Perth
County’s recent momentum was halted when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to bottom side St Johnstone on Wednesday.
The result saw the Staggies drop to ninth place in the table but they are quickly back in action at home to Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Having won back-to-back matches against Motherwell and Dundee prior to the defeat in Perth, Tomkinson insists the Staggies have no need to dwell on the loss.
He added: “I wouldn’t view this as a regular thing. It’s one game we’ve struggled in, after doing so well recently.
“We were on a good roll of momentum, but against St Johnstone we just couldn’t get it right as a team.
“It was a difficult night. We just have to dust ourselves down and go again at the weekend.
“We have shown in the previous two games that we can offer so much more than that.
“For whatever reason we just weren’t as connected. We weren’t able to pick each other out as well.
“You can expect a better response at the weekend.”
County remain in strong position
County remain five points ahead of Dundee, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, while they are eight points clear of bottom-placed Saints.
The Dingwall side are now four points adrift of the top-six, with five matches remaining before the split.
Tomkinson insists all is still to play for, adding: “It’s a really competitive league – you can see that from the table itself.
“Any game is winnable for anyone. That’s why we will come with loads of belief at the weekend.
“We look to win every game, so we will be hungry again for three points. We want to keep climbing the table.
“We will get back on the training pitch, and the hard work will begin to get ourselves right.”
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