MARLON Jackson is determined to prove he is the man to score the goals to save Newport County AFC from relegation.

The striker has netted just once in 26 appearances for the club – in the EFL Cup defeat to Milton Keynes Dons back in August – having failed to replicate his pre-season form in competitive matches.

But he has caught the eye of manager Michael Flynn with impressive performances as a substitute against Luton Town and Portsmouth last week.

The 26-year-old could be in line for a return to the starting XI when County host Crawley Town on Saturday and he knows he has a point to prove.

Asked if the Exiles fans had seen the best of him, Jackson said: “No, I don’t think so. If you’d seen the best of me I’d have scored about 50 goals!

“I’ve always got something to prove to myself first and foremost.

“I came in on trial and scored a lot of goals [in pre-season] but I haven’t really scored [during the season].

“I’ve been playing well and putting in the performances but without the goals.

“And as a striker you need the goals to be playing. If you get the goals you get confidence and your whole game goes up [a level].

“So, yeah, I’ve got something to prove to them but myself first and foremost.”

Jackson has been booed by some County fans this season and he wants to turn the jeers into cheers over the coming weeks.

“It doesn’t really bother you,” he said. “Obviously it’s nice if someone is singing your name but a lot of fans are fickle.

“One week they’ll boo you and the next they’ll be cheering your name.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know that if I bang in four goals in the next four games the fans will love me again so that’s my aim.

“I just want to start games and help the team win,” he added.

“I want to do my best to keep us in the League.

“I think everyone is a bit frustrated. No one expected us to be where we are.

“And for me personally I’ve had injuries and I’ve been in and out of the team.

“I’d just like to get a run together and if I get goals I know I’m going to be in the team and playing.

“The team seems to be doing quite well at the moment with performances. We’re battling and I just want to be in the team.”

South Wales Argus:

Jackson had three chances to score at Fratton Park and caused Portsmouth plenty of problems in the closing stages.

And he credits caretaker boss Flynn for boosting his confidence.

“I’ve been training well and I’ve been taking that into the games a bit more, being more of a goal threat,” he said.

“The gaffer’s been on me to get my shots away and I’ve been trying to do that – being a bit more positive.

“He’s telling me to keep shooting, even if it goes wide one of them will go in.

“I think I made an impact but I just want the team to win.”

Wins are what County need as they remain six points from safety with seven games left to play in League Two.

“We’ll just keep fighting,” said Jackson. “It’s going to go right down to the end, we know that, and we’re all backing each other.

“Until it’s mathematically not possible we’ll keep going.

“It’s only two games and two games is nothing; we can win two and somebody else could lose two easily.

“And there’s enough games and enough points for us to get and we believe in ourselves.

“We’re working hard, we’re battling. We just need the rub of the green and it will go our way eventually.”

Tickets for Saturday's home clash with Crawley are available for just £10 for adults and £1 for under-16s.