STRIKER Rene Howe is hoping his goal against Bristol Rovers on Saturday is the first of many for Newport County AFC, writes Andrew Penman.

The 27-year-old’s second half strike against the club where he spent a short spell on loan in 2011 was not enough to prevent the Exiles from suffering a third defeat in four games.

County lost 3-1 at the Memorial Stadium after defeats to Howe’s former club Burton Albion and Northampton Town and a last gasp draw at Accrington Stanley.

He knows that his new club need to get back to winning ways in tonight’s home clash with Plymouth Argyle if they are to keep in touch with the play-off contenders in League Two.

And if tonight’s match at Rodney Parade survives a midday pitch inspection the Exiles will have just two days to prepare for Friday night’s game at Southend United.

“No games in this league are going to be easy, whether you’re top or bottom people will take points off you,” said Howe.

“We just need to be positive and hopefully we can take three points against Plymouth.

“The games are coming thick and fast now and we’ve got to rectify it against Plymouth and Southend on Friday.”

Howe was pleased to get off the mark against the Pirates but disappointed by the outcome in terrible conditions.

“It’s nice to get a goal and open my account against an old team of mine. I hit it sweetly,” he said.

“We had great support and we would have loved to have got a win for all those fans that travelled but it wasn’t to be.

“Conceding late in the first half played a major part in it and we thought that goal was offside.

“We played alright considering the conditions,” he added. “I’ve played in wind and rain but never in such bad hail as well. We were getting hit directly in the face and it was just awful conditions.

“We got back into it, hit the post, and I hit the crossbar as well but it was just one of those days.

“If we’d got the second I think we could have pushed on and won it but they sucker punched us at the end and it was a good finish from John-Joe O’Toole.”