A fourth goal of the season on Boxing Day took Josh Parker another step closer to last season’s total.

The frontman scored 12 during the previous season and he admits he won’t be happy unless he can get to that figure again this term.

It’s a tough ask, with half of the current campaign already gone, but Parker is finding some scoring form of late, including the first goal in the 2-0 win over Portsmouth.

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He said: “I need it to carry on, I need more goals.

“I would be disappointed if I didn’t get more, I would be. You get so many chances in the game. I think as strikers, all of us should get double figures.”

Parker is enjoying life back in the team after missing a large chunk of the season with international commitments and time out of the team while he returned to his best form.

“I had two months when I didn’t play and it feels a lifetime ago,” he said.

“It is nice to now get that consistency where I feel every game I am going to do something, even if I don’t score, that I am going to make an impact.”

Parker enjoyed a different kind of role against Portsmouth, playing in the middle of a front three.

“It was a bit different," said the 28-year-old.

"I had been playing no.10, I’ve played on the left, here and there and everywhere, but I was playing in the middle of a front three which is a position that I like.

“Even though the two wide boys (Elliott List and Brandon Hanlan) don’t really like to play there, because they see themselves as central strikers, it is easier for me to relay information to them, they both did really well in that formation.”

Parker headed home the opener just before the break.

Talking about the goal, he commented: “The gaffer said before the game, ‘make sure you are in the box and you will score’.

“Listy put in an unbelievable ball. I made the run just so nobody could moan at me, but he put it in perfect, it glanced off my head and I didn’t see it go in, I just heard everyone cheer so I kept on running!”