JORDAN Burrow’s importance to York City is probably best illustrated by the fact that the team haven’t won a game without him on the scoresheet since August bank-holiday Monday.

The remarkable run has seen Burrow find the target in the Minstermen’s last 11 wins, encompassing seven National League North successes, three FA Cup ties and an FA Trophy triumph.

His latest contribution saw Burrow pull a couple of rabbits out of the hat to conjure up three points just as the Minstermen looked like they might have to settle for a share of the spoils against a modest Ashton United side.

Burrow’s first goal was a tame 15-yard effort that somehow crept past former City academy keeper George McMahon on 83 minutes, but was, nevertheless, the reward for a willingness to try his luck.

There was little fortune attached to his second, however, as Burrow claimed the best of his 17-strong haul for City this season with a minute of normal time remaining, curling an exquisite attempt over the helpless McMahon and into his top corner after exchanging passes with Wes York through the left channel.

Burrow, therefore, had once more proven the difference in a game that the hosts really should have put to bed much earlier on an afternoon when home keeper Adam Bartlett didn’t make a single save with Ashton failing to muster a shot of any description after the break.

During the first 45 minutes, the third-bottom visitors made very few inroads into the home half until the final stages of the half when a pair of headers from skipper Luke Ashworth saw David Ferguson clear off the line and a City upright rattled.

But, kicking towards the Longhurst, the Minstermen could not capitalise on their territorial advantage with any real form of cohesive attacking play.

On four minutes, Scott Burgess’ edge-of-the-box attempt was easily gathered by McMahon, who went on to save Sean Newton’s far-post effort after David Mirfin had played a short corner to the on-loan Macclesfield midfielder.

Winger York also hit roof of the stand with a wild 20-yard effort, while Scott Kay lifted the Robins’ first attempt over from a similar distance after good play down the left by Kallum Mantack.

York then forced McMahon to gather his angled low drive on the turn and glanced a header well wide from Ferguson’s cross, either side of Newton curling over with a 30-yard free kick.

The Minstermen’s best chance before the interval, though, arrived on 39 minutes when Jake Wright headed straight at McMahon from four yards following another Ferguson centre.

Former England C international Ferguson went on to make his presence felt at the other end when he prevented Ashworth’s far-post header from crossing the line after Sam Sheridan’s left-wing corner.

After Mirfin had headed off target from a Newton flag kick, Ashworth subsequently hit the outside of Bartlett’s left-hand upright in first-half stoppage time having met another Sheridan corner in the air at the far post.

Craig Hobson also directed a free header too high from the final dead-ball delivery of the opening period.

It proved Ashton’s final threat, but City continued to labour in front of the away goal.

Five minutes after the restart, Wright worked his way into a shooting position, but aimed straight at McMahon and Alex Kempster sliced over from the rebound.

Just past the hour, Mirfin met a floated Burgess free kick to the far post but couldn’t generate sufficient power in his header to trouble McMahon.

Good work by York, meanwhile, set up a Wright drive that was saved low to his left by the on-loan 18-year-old Burnley net-minder and, when Kempster shot high and wide after the ball dropped to him 12 yards from goal, it looked like City might just be kept at bay by an Ashton team that had kicked off the match with the division’s worst defensive record.

But the Robins were belatedly breached when Adriano Moke lofted a ball to York just inside the away box and he nudged it into the shooting range of Burrow, whose shot initially appeared to lack conviction, but somehow squirmed inside McMahon’s left-hand post.

Burrow went on to put the seal on victory in more stylish fashion to claim his fourth brace of the campaign.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 6

Kallum Griffiths 6

David Mirfin 7

Sean Newton 7

David Ferguson 7

Scott Burgess 6

Adriano Moke 6

Wes York 7

Alex Kempster 6

Jake Wright 5

Jordan Burrow 8

Substitutes: Jon Parkin 6 (for Wright, 68), Josh Law (for Moke, 88).

Subs not used: Ryan Whitley, Hamza Bencherif, Alex Harris.

Star man: Burrow – won a succession of headers and his endeavour was rewarded with late goals

Ashton: George McMahon, Liam Goulding, Luke Ashworth, Sonhy Sefil, Javid Swaby-Nevin, Ryan Jennings (Liam Tomsett, 63), Scott Kay, Sam Sheridan (Paul Ennis, 68), Kallum Mantack, Liam Martin, Craig Hobson (Jamie Reed, 77). Subs not used: John Roberts, Aaron Chalmers.

Ashton star man: Ashworth – battled valiantly and threat at set-pieces

Referee: Richard Aspinall 6/10 – a little over-fussy

Booked: Goulding 25, Moke 46, Kay 49

Sent off: None

Attendance: 2,150 (33 from Ashton)

Shots on target: City 10, Ashton 2

Shots off target: City 6, Ashton 2

Corners: City 10, Ashton 5

Fouls conceded: City 12, Ashton 11

Offside: City 0, Ashton 0