GOAL hero Jaanai Gordon is convinced Newport County AFC will stay up, insisting they’ve developed a “winning mentality” over the past few weeks.

The striker, on loan from West Ham United, came off the bench to earn the Exiles a point with a 93rd-minute equalizer at Cheltenham Town on Saturday.

The goal, Gordon’s first in the Football League, cancelled out Kyle Wootton’s opener for the hosts and moved County to within three points of safety at the bottom of League Two.

“I’m absolutely buzzing to come on a get my goal. It’s a dream,” said the 21-year-old.

“I thought the lads dug in well. I thought we deserved to win but one point is better than none and we’ll just focus on the next game and try to get the three points.

“In and around the changing room I think we’ve got more of a winning mentality now.

“We’ll keep fighting, we won’t give up and wins will start coming our way. We’ll definitely stay up.”

Gordon, who scored twice for the reserves last week, returned to the first team squad on Saturday having not made the bench for the past three weeks.

“It’s been difficult,” he admitted. “I’ve just had to keep my head down and keep working and hope that a chance would come and I got the reward with the goal.

“The main aim now is to keep my place in the squad and get on the pitch, play more games and get more goals.”

South Wales Argus:

Manager Graham Westley said the youngster’s hard work has been rewarded.

“He’s earned the right,” said the Exiles boss. “I said to him after the Stevenage game that he looked like a fish out of water.

“It looked a little bit too much for him and he needed to go away and listen to the feedback he got and learn and bring improvement into the reserves, where he’s scored two in midweek, and I felt he was ready to come back into the fray.

“Three goals in two games in the reserves gives you a little bit of confidence and now he’s struck gold in the first team.

“Credit to him, he’s worked very hard to get himself back into contention.”

Westley added: “Flo [Bojaj] took a knock so he dropped out through injury, which opened the door, but Jan was ready.

“He was ready to be the player who had earned the call-up.

“I said to the lads who weren’t included in the 18 ‘make sure that the work you do when no-one is watching means you’re ready when the eyes are on you and you’re back in the squad’.

“It’s so important and Jan’s been doing that, he’s been working really hard, traveling with the team when he didn’t have to – to be a part of things and try to integrate himself into the team – and you get what you deserve in life and in football.”

Gordon added two more goals for the reserves in a 3-0 win at Exeter City this afternoon. Defender Mickey Demetriou also scored.