PADRAIG Amond and Jamille Matt have scored 37 goals between them already this season, but Newport County AFC manager Michael Flynn wants more from his front two.
Amond netted his 20th of the campaign in Tuesday’s 4-1 win at Notts County, becoming the first Exiles striker to reach that number since Aaron O’Connor in 2013.
And Matt, who scored twice at Meadow Lane, is not far behind on 17 goals – the best tally of his career.
Flynn is delighted with the deadly duo’s form and, with 14 games still to play in League Two, he expects many more goals as he targets a late play-off push.
“I can’t remember a better strike partnership for this club,” said the Exiles boss ahead of today’s trip to MK Dons.
“There have been great individual strikers over the years.
“Aaron O’Connor and Christian Jolley did well, but Christian was more of a winger at times.
“It’s an unbelievable strike force, and they’re doing it in big games as well.
“They complement each other and they get on really well, which helps.
“They set each other up – there are no egos between them. They are real team players and that’s what we need.
“It’s good that they’re here and the challenge for them is to keep improving,” he added.
“Podge has got 20, Jamma’s got 17 and he’s got to get to 20 straight away.
“Podge has got to get to 25 as soon as he can, and then when they get to those targets it’ll be 25 and 30.
“They’re not players who think ‘I’ve hit 20’ or ‘I’ve scored more than I’ve ever scored, that’s me done for the season’ – they’re not like that.”
Top scorer Amond is full of praise for the work that Matt does and for the chances created by the likes of Robbie Willmott, Dan Butler, David Pipe and Regan Poole.
“I’m really enjoying playing with Jamma,” said the 30-year-old.
“He makes it very easy to play with him because he just batters defenders and I can nip in and nick goals.
“Obviously, he’s scoring as well and he’s got assists. He popped up with a worldy of a cross the other night, which I didn’t know he had in him.
“It’s been one of the best partnerships I’ve played in.
“When I was at Grimsby, myself and Omar Bogle had a good partnership but towards the end he was in and out with injuries.
“It’s quite pleasing that we’ve had this run of games together and we’ve scored quite a lot of goals.
“And the delivery from Robbie and Dan, as well as Pipey and Regan, has been great.”
Amond is now hoping that the Exiles can build on Tuesday’s win with a string of positive results to reignite their play-off hopes.
“It was a really good performance from us the other night and now it’s a case of moving on straight away and trying to get on a little run,” he said.
“It’s really important that we don’t let the season just fizzle out.
“There are a lot of teams between us [and seventh] but someone always goes on a late run. Why can’t it be us?"
County will be out to avenge last week's 1-0 home defeat to MK Dons today.
The Exiles hit the woodwork four times in that match at Rodney Parade and Amond knows they have to take their chances this afternoon.
“There’s no point saying we want to go on a run and then messing it up on Saturday," said the Irish striker. "Every game is really important now.
“MK Dons are going for automatic promotion, so they’ll have aspirations of beating us and getting into the top three.
"We should have won the first game so now we have to make sure that we put in a performance like we did that night and hope that we get the rub of the green this time.
“It’s going to be a tough game for us, but we've shown we are a match for them. It’s just a case of finishing the job this time.”
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