Omari Sterling-James admitted it’s a big weight off his shoulders after scoring his first Ebbsfleet goal on Tuesday night.

The Fleet wing-back, who joined from Kidderminster in the close season, had gone seven months without a goal - a run stretching back 36 games.

But it was 37th time lucky when he finally put that right with a blistering near-post finish during the Fleet’s 7-2 thrashing of Worthing in National League South.

“It’s a big weight off the shoulders,” beamed Sterling-James. “The first game against Worthing at their place, we had a good game and it was 6-0. If I’m honest I came off that pitch pretty annoyed and angry.

“I think the gaffer had to speak to me for three minutes when I walked off. That’s when the weight got put on me, because I was setting up goals and doing well, I just couldn’t hit the back of the net.

“Now I’ve finally scored, that’s something that won’t be in the back of my mind for the rest of the season.”

Sterling-James has been a consistent performer for the Fleet and he’s been a key part of their line-up this season.

But for all his good approach work, that elusive goal just hadn’t arrived.

“It has been playing on my mind,” said the 29-year-old. “We have a little bit of banter in the changing rooms, that doesn’t get to me because that’s how the lads are.

“But in myself, personal pride and wanting to score a goal. Now that it’s happened, I can relax a little bit.

“I wouldn’t say I was cursed but from the third or fourth game when I was missing chances, I said to one of the boys ‘I’ll take not scoring for the season as long as we get promoted’.

“But it then started to become a thing and I was thinking I know the team comes first but I do need to score a goal! I’m glad that’s happened now.’

“I’ve hit the post and crossbar a few times, it’s just I needed to hit the back of the net. I could hear the fans and I didn’t even celebrate, it was just a burst of relief. Everyone’s together, no-one gets left behind and it felt like a team goal.”

It means midfielder Christian N’Guessan, who is yet to net this term, has been left behind on the scoring stakes at Ebbsfleet.

“I was with Christian but I’m one-up on him so he can chase me now!” joked Sterling-James.

“I hadn’t set my sights on Christian. We just got halfway through the season and myself and Christian hadn’t scored. I’ve managed to score before him now so I’m happy.”

Ebbsfleet head to in-form Tonbridge this Saturday in National League South, with Sterling-James playing down the bigger picture as they close in on the title.

Tonbridge were the first team to defeat the Fleet in the league this season so Jay Saunders’ side will be aiming for an impressive double at Longmead.

“It’s not revenge, it’s just go there and get the job done,” said Sterling-James.

“Tonbridge was our first loss of the season. That hurt, it kicked us into gear and we can’t take anything for granted. We have to turn up every week.

“I don’t know mathematically what you’ve got to get to but we’ve got a target of how many more wins we want and once we get to that we’ll have a look at it again.”