STRIKER Shawn McCoulsky is determined to put pressure on Frank Nouble and Padraig Amond and force his way back into the Newport County AFC starting XI.

McCoulsky moved level with Nouble on Saturday when he came off the bench at Forest Green Rovers to score his fifth goal of the season.

He is now just one behind top scorer Amond, who bagged a brace in the 4-0 win at The New Lawn.

The powerful header was McCoulsky’s second goal of the week after he also netted in the Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Swansea City under-21s last Tuesday.

But the 20-year-old, who is on loan from Bristol City until January, has not started a League Two match since the 1-1 draw at Crewe Alexandra on August 12.

McCoulsky knows that he may well be on the bench again tonight as the Exiles host Colchester United at Rodney Parade but he’s determined to keep pushing Nouble and Amond.

And Saturday’s goal will at least have given Michael Flynn food for thought, even if the youngster forgot to celebrate with the manager.

“He said to go on and try to affect the game as much as possible and if I get a goal to run to him, which I didn’t do, but I’m just so happy that I got my goal,” said McCoulsky.

“It was a great ball from Buts [Dan Butler] and it was one of those that if I missed it would have been a shocker.

“As long as I’m contributing to the goals in the team and we’re winning that’s all I can ask for, really,” he added.

“I’ve just got to keep knocking on the door by scoring goals and obviously hope that I get a start in the future.”

South Wales Argus:

McCoulsky is now fully fit after an injury disrupted his super start to the season when he scored three goals in his first two appearances.

“I got an injury to my hip flexor in August and it was obviously quite a frustrating time for myself,” he said.

“No-one likes to get injured and at the time Frank and Podge were scoring.

“They were on fire and I know that when the strikers are scoring I just have to wait for my chance.

“I’ve just got to keep grinding away in training and keep getting goals.

“I only got 10 minutes [at Forest Green], I had one chance and got one goal. That’s what I have to keep doing and I have to build on that.”

McCoulsky also believes the team can build on an impressive display on Saturday.

“We played great football and we were onto them from the start,” he said. “The goals that we scored were very clinical.

“And we’ve got goals all over the pitch now with Scot Bennett scoring as well.

“It’s all about end product at the end of the day. It’s about scoring goals and winning games and that’s what we’re doing now.

“If we can carry on this good goal scoring form and continue to punish teams then who knows where we can go in the league?”