YORK City striker Macaulay Langstaff has insisted people should not judge him on his goalscoring record last season.

Langstaff failed to net in 21 matches for parent club Gateshead and during a loan spell at Blyth Spartans during 2017/18.

But, of those outings, 17 were made from the bench, and the 21-year-old prefers to point to his prolific return of 31 goals in 46 games at former club Billingham Synthonia in the Northern League as evidence of his potential potency.

It also took Langstaff only 41 minutes to open his City account in the 2-1 triumph at Shildon during this summer’s first friendly. The Minstermen's fourth run-out of pre-season is at Ilkeston tomorrow night.

“I know the record from last season doesn’t look good, but I was getting 10 minutes a game and I don’t think people can judge me on that,” Langstaff said. “When I was at Billingham, I was starting every game and I had a good goalscoring record.

“It was at a lower level, but still a good one and I feel my goalscoring record will improve again once I’m starting more matches.

"I scored in my first game for York at Shildon and that’s always important, because you don’t want to start off on a drought so, hopefully, I can get more now.”

On putting a frustrating 2017/18 firmly behind him, meanwhile, Langstaff added: “I had a good pre-season at Gateshead but didn’t start the first few games and the manager asked if I wanted to go out on loan. I had three months at Blyth, but only started a handful of games and it was very frustrating.

“I then went back to Gateshead and played the last few matches, but only one from the start and I’m ready to start a lot more matches in full-time football this season.”

Langstaff joined Jon Parkin on the scoresheet as the pair played the first half of pre-season together at Shildon and the former feels the veteran ex-Championship campaigner could make an excellent foil for himself.

“He’s class,” Langstaff enthused. “He always wins a lot of balls and flick-ons and I like to play with people like him.

“He also has a lot of experience and talks you through games, which is helpful for a young lad like me.”