YORK City manager Gary Mills is hoping his new players’ scoring start to pre-season will signal better fortunes in front of goal during 2011/12.

Despite only missing out on a play-off place in the penultimate fixture of last season, City had the sixth-lowest goals-for record in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Six of top scorer Michael Rankine’s 14 goals also came from the penalty spot, leaving him with just eight from open play all season.

Rankine has since departed for League Two Aldershot and Mills believes his summer signings – four of whom were on target during Friday’s 5-0 triumph at Tadcaster Albion – will add greater firepower.

Proven Conference marksman Jason Walker got off the mark in City colours at Ings Lane, as did winger Matty Blair, who grabbed ten goals from the flanks for Kidderminster last season.

Fellow new boys Patrick McLaughlin and Adriano Moké also hit the target during the Minstermen’s first friendly outing and Mills believes that bodes well ahead of the kick off to the new campaign on August 13.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s visit to Garforth Town, the City chief said: “We created enough chances to score a lot of goals last season so we know taking those opportunities is something we have to address and put right.

“We kept a clean sheet at Tadcaster, as we did a lot last season, but we also scored five in our first pre-season match and it’s important to get into good habits. We have got some goalscorers at the club now and I thought Matty Blair’s goal on Friday was a great strike.”

Walker’s penalty was the first he had taken after failing from the spot for Luton Town in May’s Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final shoot-out defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

He converted confidently at Tadcaster after being hauled down by home ’keeper Scott Pallister but Mills is undecided as to whether the £60,000 summer signing will be handed the responsibility on a permanent basis as Jamie Reed – City’s most potent striking force last season with nine goals after joining the club in January – is another contender.

The City manager said: “Maybe we have found a possible new penalty taker in Jason but I know Reedy’s gagging to get on them as well. There’s two or three volunteers so we might have to decide by having penalty shoot-out competitions in training.

“For me, it doesn’t matter who takes them as long as they have the character to put them in during those big games.”

City came through Friday’s match unscathed injury wise and will take a full squad to Garforth’s Genix Healthcare Stadium this evening, kick-off 7.30pm.