MATCH-WINNER Aaron O’Connor admits criticism of the club’s goal-shy strikers is fair enough but he’s still confident of firing Newport County AFC to promotion.

O’Connor broke his three-month scoring drought with the winner against former club Luton Town on Tuesday.

The goal took the top scorer’s tally to nine for the season but he and Miles Storey are still the only front men in the squad to have netted in 2015.

And O’Connor says he has no issue with criticism from fans and manager Jimmy Dack in recent weeks.

“Scoring goals is our job at the end of the day. It’s what we get paid to do,” said the 31-year-old.

“We take the praise when we’re scoring and when you’re not you have to take the criticism as well.

“You’ll never hear me or any of the other strikers complaining about it when we do get criticised.

“We spoke about it and I felt that we hadn’t been creating as many chances as we had done over the last couple of months.

“But it’s up to us to create chances for ourselves as well. We have to keep working hard and I believe the harder you work the better luck you get and the more chances you create.”

The three points took the Exiles up to eighth in League Two and above Plymouth Argyle, who host Dack’s men on Saturday.

O’Connor is certain that they can build on the hard-earned victory and get back into the top seven at the weekend.

“It’s good to get the goal but more important was the three points, which puts us back in the mix,” he said.

“A lot of results went for us as well and we’ll go to Plymouth knowing that a positive result can get us back in the play-off positions again.

“We’re in for a tough game, we know that. But I think if we play with the spirit and desire we did against Luton then we’ll have a good chance of picking up three points.

“It’s so tight and I think whatever team can put together a run and keep players fresh will be up there,” he added.

“It’s all about momentum at this stage and we’re going into the Plymouth game on the back of four points from six.

“That’s a feeling we haven’t had for a while and if we can put a run together I think we’ll have as good a chance as anyone of securing a top seven finish.”