STRIKERS Aaron O’Connor and Shaun Jeffers are on a mission to prove that Newport County AFC don’t need fresh blood up front as they target a top-seven finish in League Two.

Manager Jimmy Dack was left frustrated by the international clearance issues that ended his hopes of signing Cardiff City striker Rhys Healey last Thursday.

But O’Connor and Jeffers both scored in the 2-0 win at Accrington Stanley on Friday night that lifted the Exiles to sixth in the table with seven matches remaining.

O’Connor opened the scoring with the help of a goalkeeping howler from Stanley’s Scott Davies midway through the second half before substitute Jeffers sealed all three points in stoppage time.

“We have responded but we’ve always had confidence in our own ability,” said Jeffers, who replaced fellow striker Miles Storey 20 minutes before the end at the Crown Ground.

“We know what we can do and we showed that at Accrington.”

Top scorer O’Connor, who took his tally for the season to ten goals, believes Healey would have had his work cut out to earn a starting spot.

“It was more of a case of keeping us on our toes,” he said. “I don’t think any of us have been playing badly enough to not be selected.

“If another striker had come in I think he would have had to work to get into the team because I think we’ve been playing quite well.

“Me and Miles played well and worked hard and Shaun came on and is a bit different to Miles.

“We didn’t create too many chances but as a three I thought we ground them down and earned the win in the end.”

Jeffers could have been moved out on loan if the Healey deal had gone through but the former Peterborough United man is desperate to help County to promotion.

“I want to play my football here and I’m grateful to the manager for showing faith in me,” said Jeffers

“The aim for me is to keep making an impact off the bench and try to force my way into the starting XI.

“But mostly I just want to keep helping the team. I was delighted to get the goal but it was a great team performance,” he added.

“We were delighted to get the win. It was a tough game and I thought we were really professional in the way we went about it.

“It was a great away performance. We knew our away form was good going into the game and we knew we could get the win.”

Ahead of the Good Friday clash with Hartlepool United at Rodney Parade, Jeffers said: “They’re all cup finals now. We want to stay in the play-offs and I think we can.

“We’re confident now and we’re coming into form at the right time.”