GREAT Escape goal hero Mark O’Brien is confident Newport County AFC can upset the odds as they begin the new League Two season at Stevenage this afternoon.

O’Brien and teammates remain in the Football League thanks to his 89th-minute winner against Notts County on the final day of last season.

The three points secured a second successive 22nd-place finish for the Exiles, who are again amongst the bookies favourites for relegation.

But O’Brien’s goal was the culmination of a remarkable run of seven wins in the final 12 games under caretaker manager Michael Flynn.

And with Flynn now permanent boss, the core of the squad remaining at Rodney Parade and eight new signings in place, County are confident of enjoying a more successful campaign this time round.

Ahead of today’s trip to the Lamex Stadium, O’Brien argues that the dramatic end to last season can help them hit the ground running this term.

“I look back at the moment now and I still can’t believe what went on,” he said of his winning goal.

“I’ve not been back to the ground since the goal but I still have people sending me messages about it.

“They tell me it’s a day they’ll always remember and it’s just one of those memories that will always live with me. I’ll never forget it.

“As I said at the time, it was a massive team effort in the last six months of the season and thankfully it paid off in the end.”

He added: “We knew the situation we were in when I got brought in in January and it’s something that we’re trying to rectify from the beginning of the season [this year].

“We’ve got a tight-knit group and we’ve added to it and we’re hoping it’s not going to be a repeat of last year.

“We’re very confident [that we can avoid that]. We’ve had a very good pre-season and we go into the season full of confidence.

“We’re hoping that we can pick up where we left off last season and continue the success that we had [in the final 12 games].”

South Wales Argus:

The 24-year-old Dubliner believes the Great Escape sent out a message to County’s League Two rivals.

“The way the end of the season finished everyone is aware of Newport County now,” said O’Brien.

“They know they’re going to be in for tough games against us and they know we’re going to fight until the very end.

“If we can take that into the start of the season and continue what we did at the end of last year then we should have no problems.

“Stevenage away is going to be a tough game, we know that. But we’re going to go there with a lot of confidence and we’re going to go there looking for the win, which everyone in the changing room now is very confident we’re going to get.”

But if County need a goal late on, Flynn knows who to turn to.

“I’m not going to get carried away,” said O’Brien. “I think the goal was just one of those moments. It was a crazy scenario.

“But I’m sure if I put my hand up to go forward again I’m sure I’ll get the nod over one of the other defenders!”