Danny Johnson determined to emulate National League predecessor Louis Moult after opening his account for Motherwell

The striker opened his account for the Fir Park club on Saturday with a vital goal in their final Betfred Cup group game against Clyde at Broadwood.

Stephen Robinson’s men, who reached the final of the competition last season, had been trailing their part-time opponents 1-0 with just 15 minutes remaining and were facing suffering a humiliating exit before the knockout rounds.

However, Johnson put his side in front shortly after Curtis Main had levelled to ensure that Motherwell leapfrogged leaders Queen of the South, topped their section and progressed to the last 16.

He faces stiff competition for a starting spot in Robinson’s side from Bowman, who was injured at the weekend, Main and Conor Sammon, who headed home in injury-time to round off the 3-1 triumph.

But the former Gateshead forward is well aware of what an impact both Bowman and Moult, who also played in the fifth tier down south before moving to this country, have made before him.

The 25-year-old firmly believes he can add to his goal haul in the coming months – starting in the Ladbrokes Premiership opener against Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday - and fare as well as his countrymen have.

“To get the second goal against Clyde and turn the game around was a good feeling,” said Johnson. “It was also my first goal for the club which was satisfying. I have had to be patient in the last few weeks, but I have bided my time and taken my chance.

“I always back myself to score goals. I have said it everywhere I have been. I know how to score. The goals don’t move whatever level you’re playing at. Hopefully there are plenty more to come this season.

“Louis Moult and Ryan Bowman have both come up here from the National League in England and scored goals. I want to be the next one to do that.

“There are big names here and I have come from the lower leagues down south so I have got to prove myself. They have got experience I don’t have and are above me in the pecking order just now, but I know I can score goals. If I keep scoring goals I will be in that bracket.”

Johnson admitted the decision to join Motherwell last month was an easy one given how both Bowman, who also played for Gateshead, and Moult, who was on the books at Wrexham, flourished when they moved north.

“There had been interest for a while,” he said. “As soon as the manager rang me my decision was made in two minutes. I just turned around to my girlfriend and said: ‘This is the right move for me’. Then it happened pretty quickly.”

Johnson needed two attempts to convert the Elliot Frear cross that fell to him in the 78th minute of the Clyde game.

But he felt the conditions – the game was played on an artificial surface in windy weather – contributed to the difficulties the whole Motherwell team experienced and has backed himself to net more in the coming weeks and months.

“I don’t really know what happened at the goal,” he said. “It just bobbled across. I think maybe Alex (Rodriguez Gorrin) got a touch on it as well. I had to react quickly and I just couldn’t sort my feet out. Luckily, it popped up perfectly after that and I buried it into the net.

“It is always difficult playing a team in a lower division because they always want it that bit more. It is their cup final. I don’t think we played to our strengths to be honest. But we always back ourselves to come through and in the end we did.

“Astroturf is always a leveller regardless of whoever you’re playing. The conditions were tricky. The wind was blowing around as well. It was just good that we got the winner and went through.

“There are a few at National League level. There are four or five clubs down there have them. I am used to playing on astroturf. I am not sure about them, but the rules say you have got to play on them so there is nothing else you can do.

“I am a confidence player. I thrive off scoring goals. That’s what I do. I have done that every level I have played at so far.”