STRIKER Scott Boden says the Newport County AFC players are desperate to beat fellow strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge tomorrow to take the pressure off manager Terry Butcher.

County are rooted to the bottom of League Two with just one point from seven games but today’s clash at Victoria Road represents perhaps their best chance yet of recording a first win of the season.

The Daggers are four points above the Exiles in 21st place and Boden says they will be going all out for victory for Butcher, as much as for themselves and the travelling fans.

“We’ve said it for the past four or five weeks now but, however it comes, we need three points,” he said.

“You can take consolation from playing well the first and second and third times but once it’s the fourth and fifth time it happens it frustrates you.

“We were very frustrated in the changing room last Saturday and a few feathers were ruffled but I think that’s how you get the best out of everyone.

“This is a massive game and we’re not going there to settle for a point. We’ve got to come back with three points.

“The gaffer is class to be fair,” added the 25-year-old. “He’s a real man-manager and he does all sorts for us.

“Maybe more than for ourselves we need to probably win this game for him.

“That relieves a bit of pressure from everyone’s back then and we can go again.”

Boden is the Exiles’ top scorer with three goals so far this season but he hasn’t found the net since the 3-2 home defeat to Leyton Orient on August 22.

He accepts there is pressure on him and fellow strikers Lenell John-Lewis and Aaron Collins to fire County to victory but he insists that nobody within the camp is panicking yet.

“Scoring goals wins you games – it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“We’ve got to create chances and put them in the back of the net.

“It’s just little things in both boxes at the moment and if we can eradicate [mistakes] at our end and put them right at the other end then we’re going to win games.

“It’s not just me; it’s Azza and Lenny and all over the pitch really. We’ve got to start putting the ball in the back of the net.

“As a forward you do get judged on your goals and I was guilty of [missing] a couple of chances last week but I’m sure we will score goals.”

He added: “For me it is way too early in the season to start pushing the panic button.

“We’ve got to turn it round as soon as possible but I’m not one to panic.

“If we get to Christmas and we still haven’t won then we can start to panic but not yet.”