CONOR SAMMON spoke of his appreciation to be getting opportunities to start and score for Alloa as the Irishman grabbed the winner on Saturday.

The veteran striker led the line against Stenhousemuir on Saturday in place of Luke Rankin, who missed out due to an ankle injury sustained in training.

Sammon scored the only goal of the game, latching onto a cross from Cameron O’Donnell to poke home the winner.

Speaking to Advertiser Sport, Sammon touched on his age and how thankful he was to still being given the opportunity to make an impact.

He said: “The older you get, the more you appreciate playing and getting starts. When you’re younger, you take it a little bit for granted.

“I’m just so hungry to keep making an impact by scoring and by helping the team so delighted today to have done that.

“I’m delighted to get the goal and when the subs came on, Cammy was brilliant with his assist cross into the box, it’s a striker’s dream.

“Delighted to get the win, get back into the team and to score, everything – perfect Saturday.”

“I’m looking forward to the upcoming games as well.”

Sammon spoke of seizing his opportunity when it came around, but the Irishman will have another role to play this season.

Bobby Wales hailed Sammon as a positive mentor during his loan spell last season and now the 37-year-old can turn his attention to helping Luke Rankin improve.

Rankin came off the back of a hugely successful loan spell at East Stirling and had a superb League Cup showing, scoring three goals and helping pull off a huge win over St Johnstone.

Sammon added that he hopes to be able to use his experience to help the younger players but also learn off of them himself.

He added: “When you’re at the age that I’m at and with the experience I’ve had over the years, particularly as a young striker, it’s easy to beat yourself up if you’re missing chances.

“You’re always trying to speak to the boys regularly and if chances don’t go in, you keep your head up.

“It’s small little things like that about mentality and not getting down to much – it’s about trying to be a positive impact on that side.

“Anything I can pass onto the boys about movement or being greedy or being between the posts, I’m always willing to do that.

“I’m always learning myself and sometimes you can learn off of the new boys as well.

“It’s frustrating for Ranks because he’s flying, he’s doing really well and then he’s picked up that injury.

“Fingers crossed it’s not too bad of an injury and he’s not out for long because he’s come back from a great season last year scoring lots of goals.

“It’s great to see him show the quality that we see in the first team regularly with him scoring goals.

“Hopefully, he’s not out for long and it’s great for us as strikers to have that competition to push each other and get the best out each other.”