NEWPORT County AFC striker Omar Bogle revealed he became "immune" to hurtful abuse from his own fans after silencing his critics with a Rodney Parade double.
The Exiles drew 2-2 with promotion-chasing Stevenage in Newport on Tuesday night after fighting back twice.
Bogle calmly finished on the stroke of half-time and then won a penalty that he converted with seven minutes left.
The 29-year-old ended a 15-game goal drought that stretched back to October, a streak that led to criticism from a growing section of County's support both online and from the stands.
Things reached a crescendo at the start of the year when Bogle was jeered as headed to the dugout when being replaced against Crawley.
A number of those that have booed the striker would have been singing his name against Stevenage, with Bogle cupping his ear to supporters when celebrating his first goal.
“It’s frustrating but I guess that’s just football,” he said. “Some of the things shouldn’t be said, but we are at a place now when everyone just puts it down to it being football.
“It’s hard to hear but as time went on, and it’s been over a month now, I’ve become immune to it.
“Even on Tuesday I heard some [shouts] at the beginning of the game, at first it got in my head but now it’s water off a duck’s back.
“I’ve never had it before with people getting at me, clapping and cheering in a negative way when I’ve been taken off.
“You just have to stay strong and the only way for me to respond is to put in good performances and score goals. I’ve just got to do my job.”
Manager Graham Coughlan praised the character and heart shown by Bogle in the goal drought.
Asked if he didn’t get enough credit for his work around the pitch, the striker replied: “Probably, but maybe it’s the expectations on me with everybody expecting high standards and that is fine.
“But at the end of the day strikers are always judged on goals. You can have the best game ever, not score and people will say you were terrible while you can play terrible, score two and people will say you had the best game ever.”
Bogle, comfortably County’s top scorer with 11 in all competitions, hailed the rest of the squad for helping him through his tough spell.
“My teammates have been massive, they have kept believing in me,” said the forward, who arrived from Hartlepool last summer on a two-year deal.
“It’s about the people in the building knowing how good I am and me believing in myself. You just have to keep your head in those situations, because it happens to everyone.”
Bogle is now eyeing a hot streak and with 17 games left could still become only the third player to hit 20 goals since the club’s return to the Football League, joining Dom Telford (26) last season and Padraig Amond (24) from 2018/19.
He was recalled to the starting line-up against Stevenage and is battling for a spot in the XI to face Walsall on Saturday with fit-again Offrande Zanzala, Will Evans and January loan signings Calum Kavanagh and Charlie McNeill.
“It’s good to be in double figures. It should have happened a lot sooner but now I just need to keep on,” said Bogle.
“Competition is always good and we all have our different qualities. You can see that Kav and Charlie will be a big help to us for the rest of the season.”
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