FRANK Nouble ended his long wait for a goal in Newport County AFC’s win at Grimsby Town to make it eight strikes altogether in the league and cup this season.

But the Londoner knows that he will need to carry on producing the goods if he wants to keep his place in the team given those who are waiting in the wings.

With boss Michael Flynn now able to call on Nouble’s fellow forwards Paul Hayes and Aaron Collins, the Exiles boast a healthy number of striking options in the squad.

As well as those three, Padraig Amond and Shawn McCoulsky are both bang in form at the moment, with five goals between them in the last eight games.

Add to that the threat posed by skipper Joss Labadie, Robbie Willmott and returning loan star Josh Sheehan in the final third and County are not shy of players with an eye for the back of the net.

Speaking after the 2-1 victory over Grimsby, Nouble gave his take on the new faces at Rodney Parade.

He told iFollow Exiles: “I think everyone is looking forward to seeing Josh Sheehan play after what he did last year – so am I.

“But the team are winning so it’s hard to mix it too much now. He’ll get his chance and he’ll take it. He’s a good lad.

“Everyone is training well, Tyler (Reid) came in today, only for a short time, but you can see what he can offer us.

“Paul Hayes and Aaron Collins as well, a few players itching to come on, so the boys playing just have to give it everything because we know we have good quality coming in.”

With the big FA Cup tie against Spurs on the horizon, former West Ham man Nouble, and his teammates, will be particularly eager to retain their places in the side.

Nouble will, of course, be doing everything he can to continue his current run in Flynn’s starting XI.

However, he goes into tomorrow’s home encounter with Crawley Town just one booking away from a two-game ban.

With nine yellow cards to his name this season, a caution against Harry Kewell’s team, or Morecambe next Tuesday, would see him miss out on the Spurs tie.

Meanwhile, Nouble sung the praises of midfielder Willmott and keeper Joe Day following County’s defeat of the Mariners last weekend.

“Robbie has come into some great form and we’re just lucky to have a player like that in our team,” he added.

“He’s a ball carrier for us and we know we can give the ball to him under pressure and he can handle it.”

On Day, who made a crucial save just seconds before Nouble made it 2-0, he continued: “That’s what happens when you have the best goalkeeper in the league.

“We know we can rely on him to make a save and it’s tough for him because that was their first clear-cut chance. We’ve got a great goalie so I’m buzzing for him that he made that save.”