Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has credited his mental strength in helping him to overcome his 13-month goal drought.

Cahill finally ended the barren run when he scored from close range in the Toffees' 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers at Goodison Park.

The 32-year-old said that he had always kept his perspective about his lack of goals, having played with a number of niggling injuries last year.

"People would turn around and say 'you have not scored for a year'. I would turn around and say 'I am a professional footballer living the dream'," said Cahill.

"I am training every day, working hard and I like to think one of my attributes is being mentally strong.

"One year you might score 10 or 15 goals and you are the king but the biggest thing is when you are not scoring which is what I went through. But it did not faze me because I go back to a good family, I have good people here at the club."

Cahill joined Everton from Millwall in 2004 for a fee of £1.5m.