ROBERT Thomson has revealed he wasn’t complaining when manager Jim Duffy brought him off against Falkirk — despite being a goal shy of a hat-trick.

Thomson bagged a brace against the Bairns and was subbed by Duffy as Ton looked to preserve their clean sheet, and the striker admits he was relieved to be heading off after putting in a monumental shift up front for his team.

He said: “I think I’ve been due a goal and it has been a while coming. Obviously I’ve been out the team for the last couple of weeks so it is pleasing to get back on the scoresheet.

“Was I disappointed to come off knowing I was on a hat-trick? Not really. I had put a lot into that game and like I said, I’ve been out the team for a while so I was toiling a wee bit towards the end. I think it was understandable that the manager gave me the hook.”

Thomson has been out of the starting XI for the last few weeks with team-mate Gary Oliver playing well enough to keep him on the bench. 

The forward reckons if Oliver hadn’t been ill on the Friday, his chance might not have come against Falkirk.

He said: “I think possibly if Gary Oliver hadn’t been ill the last couple of days I might have started on the bench. You need to capitalise on opportunity when you’re given it and hopefully that’s what I’ve been able to do on Saturday. 

“The main aim for me personally is to get myself back in the team, help us win and if the contribution is scoring or setting goals up, as long as I’m doing something to contribute that’s good enough for me.”

Ton were awarded a penalty in the first half for what appeared to be a tug on Thomson’s jersey by defender Aaron Muirhead. But the forward says he didn’t claim for the foul because he was too focused on getting a touch on the initial cross.

He added: “At the time I wasn’t too aware of it because I was focused on going for the ball and trying to get something significant on it to try and get the goal.

“When I ended up on the floor I knew it was a foul but by that time the referee had already given it. It was a stonewall 
penalty.”

Thomson looked to enjoy his second goal of the afternoon after being slipped in by Gary Harkins — and his ‘dabbing’ celebration was one he and the veteran midfielder have been working on in training.

He laughed: “Gary Harkins and I are always carrying on in training with dabbing and things like that. 

“I’m waiting to see the replay but I think he was running up doing it behind me. A 32-year-old dabbing would be a sight!”