SKIPPER Jordan Burrow has admitted he was left “frustrated” by York City’s 1-0 final-day win over National League North play-off hopefuls Telford.

Burrow’s 50th-minute header ended the visitors’ promotion hopes at Bootham Crescent but, while pleased to finish the campaign on a positive note, the ex-England C international felt the home side’s performance also highlighted what could and should have been during a disappointing mid-table campaign for the Minstermen.

The 19-goal top scorer did gain some solace, though, from a display that he believes bodes well as manager Steve Watson prepares to start his first season at the helm.

Burrow reasoned: “We played that well, it left me frustrated as to why we couldn’t play like that more consistently throughout the season and I felt we’d been building up to a performance like that for the last couple of weeks, because we’ve been playing well in patches. We had numerous chances against a team that have been up near the top of the table all season and thoroughly deserved to win the game which, as players and fans, gives you the confidence that we’re heading in the right direction and will be striving to do well next season.

“That’s the aim and, since the gaffer has come in, our form has been right up there, so it was really good to finish off with a win and send the fans away on a relative high, because their support was brilliant.”

Burrow was presented with The Press Player of the Year award before Saturday’s game and, while pleased to be recognised for his efforts and his final goal tally, he is hoping to celebrate team success this time next year.

“If somebody had said I’d get 19 goals and win a few awards I’d have taken that at the start of the season,” he confessed. “But, collectively, it’s been disappointing we’ve not been able to do anything so, hopefully, next season, we can all be happy.”

Burrow’s personal accolade comes at the end of a campaign that saw him left out of the side by Sam Collins before being made captain by Watson’s predecessor as manager.

He then retained the armband under his former Gateshead chief and won an immediate recall to the starting line-up, having also been dropped from the starting XI during the course of a ten-game goal drought from early February to mid-April.

Revealing he has an inner drive to defy doubters, Burrow said: “There’s something in my character that means I like proving people wrong, especially if I’m left out of the team, as the gaffer did at FC United of Manchester. It’s also been a brilliant honour for me to captain the club and a privilege I have thoroughly enjoyed, even though I don’t know if it will be the case next season.”

Having also waited eight games before opening his City account six weeks into the season, Burrow went on to explain how he copes with such barren runs.

“I went through a couple of lean spells and, with two goals in the last two games, I didn’t really want the season to end,” he confessed. “But, as a striker, you’re always going to go through those runs and our results weren’t bad during those periods, so it wasn’t affecting the team and I felt I was still contributing in terms of bringing other people into play and creating space for the lads.

“You just have to keep training hard and practice your finishing to turn things around because, what you put into this game, you more often than not get out of it.”

Having teed up a dozen goals for team-mates to finish four ahead of nearest rival Macaulay Langstaff at the head of the club’s assists table, there is clear evidence to suggest that Burrow was still pulling his weight when not hitting the target and, on that record, he added: “I’ve never really been at a club where assists have been tallied up, so it’s been interesting to see how many I have got.

“With 12 assists, I have been directly involved in 31 goals and I’m pleased with that, but it’s all about next season now and kicking on.”

Sean Newton, meanwhile, lifted the Billy Fenton Memorial Trophy at the weekend after being voted Clubman of the Year by City supporters and Burrow admitted the 30-year-old defender would have been his selection for that prize, declaring: “I think Newts has been outstanding at the back since the gaffer has come in and he’s made that left-sided, centre-half position his own.”