NEWPORT County AFC striker Jamille Matt hopes that his match-winning heroics can spark a goal rush.

The 29-year-old got off the mark for the season when he slotted the only goal of the game in last Saturday's victory against Port Vale at Rodney Parade.

County are flying high in second place in League Two but Matt had endured a frustrating start to the campaign.

The forward was a talisman last season when he scored 20 goals and formed a formidable partnership with Padraig Amond but August didn't quite go to plan.

Matt struggled for the first four games of the season and the was sidelined for four games by a knee problem.

However, he was called from the bench against the Valiants and ensured it was an inspired decision by manager Michael Flynn when he converted fellow sub Corey Whitely's cross for a 78th-minute winner.

South Wales Argus:

"I'm the first one to tell you how frustrated I am to miss games and I have been frustrated over the last couple of weeks," said Matt.

"I've kept positive and thought that when I got back out there, I'd try and take my chance.

"The lads have done well, Tristan (Abrahams) and Podge, Corey as well and we've also got Dom (Poleon) now to try and add to that.

"Competition for places is good and healthy, sometimes in the season there will be injuries – touch wood there's not – but if there is then we've got the quality and squad depth to help with those injuries.

"Sometimes goals don't come along for a long time and then they come in twos or threes. I'll be hoping that's the case."

The physical frontman will be aim to strike at Sixfields on Saturday when County travel to face a Northampton side struggling for consistency.

Matt scored in the 3-1 win against the Cobblers in Newport last season but hit the bar when the home side sneaked a late 1-0 success in the return fixture in March, the last time that the Exiles were beaten in the league in the 90 minutes.

The response to the late play-off final anguish at Wembley has been impressive but the striker is staying level-headed.

"We're not getting carried away because it's still just the start of the season. There's not actually been that many games, it's a solid start, but we can't get carried away because it's a long season," said Matt.

"Everyone is trying to contribute and we're keeping clean sheets as well, the defence has been fantastic, and that's from back to front because all the lads work their socks off to make sure we get the clean sheets.

"If we can keep that going then it always gives a good platform for us to go up the other end, get a goal, and win the game.

"It's a great stat for the media (17 games unbeaten and six successive clean sheets) and for us as well because we're the team and we thrive off that.

"It shows how hard everyone is working for each other to make sure we don't concede goals first and foremost. If you don't concede then you've got a minimum of a point so it's always a good platform.

"With the quality we've got in the team, we're always likely to nick a goal so let's hope that continues."

South Wales Argus:

The Cobblers are on seven points after seven games but Matt is not taking Keith Curle's side lightly.

"From the outside looking in, they've recruited well over the summer and we'll be going there looking to put on a good show of ourselves and prove why we've started the season so well," he said.

"We just want to keep ticking the games off one by one. We're still only in the start of September so there is a long way to go but it's a good start and one we're looking to continue."