CHARLIE Austin has pleaded with fans to stick with Saints through their dry patch.

Mark Hughes’ side have failed to score in their last five Premier League games which is something that hasn’t happened since 2001.

They extended their dismal record at St Mary’s to one win in 16 matches with the goalless draw with Newcastle on Saturday.

Austin has one goal from nine appearances this season but feels that it’s only a matter of time before Saints end their drought up front.

The striker said: “I know the fans are getting frustrated and I totally understand that, but we are trying 100 percent to get the second win of the season and push on.

“You only have to look around and you can see that everyone is on the edge because they don’t know whether we are going to concede or score. It’s hard not to feel it.

“But that’s football though.

“They come to get behind us and they love the buzz of getting behind their football team and we are in it to provide entertainment for them.

“I know it’s a frustrating time at the moment, but just keep getting behind us and it will come.

“If we weren’t creating the chances, then it would be time to worry.”

Saints failed to take advantage of a Newcastle side who are without a win all season and were set up by Rafa Benitez to nick a point at St Mary’s.

The Magpies ensured that Alex McCarthy was left with nothing to do after they couldn’t muster a shot on target. 

Hughes’ team, however, bombarded Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka’s net 22 times during the match, but only four of them were heading in.

And Austin thinks that it’s only a matter of time before one of the attempts eventually ripples the back of the goal.

He added: “We are so, so close.

“We create chance after chance and loads of teams have been like it, we just can’t put the ball in the net.

“It’s so close to us getting the ball in the net and then it’s all going to click. 

“As soon as we get that one in the net, it’s going to snowball.

“Once it happens we can all kick on because we are a truly strong side and we don’t deserve to be in this situation.

“You can see the hard work we are doing and it’s coming so close now.

“When the goals come, we are going to be an exciting team to watch play.”

Austin had a second-half goal disallowed when he was accused by referee Chris Kavanagh of fouling Dubravka in the air.

It was a collision that left Austin nursing a black eye.

And the striker believes it’s time the rules are looked at to give centre-forwards a fair chance when challenging a goalkeeper.

Austin said: “I’ve jumped for the ball to win it and they get a foul.

“That’s twice now because if you go back to the FA Cup semi-final last year at Wembley, I jumped with Willy Caballero and didn’t even touch him, and they gave a foul for that.

“They need to sort out a rule saying whether you can jump with the goalkeepers or not because to be honest, it’s become a bit of a joke.

“You can look through the whole world of football now and see that you can’t challenge goalkeepers. 

“It’s very frustrating for centre-forwards.”