MATCH-WINNING goalscorer Jordan Burrow is optimistic it will not take long to forge a working relationship with his strike partners.

Burrow, who scored in the 63rd minute to secure a 1-0 win over Kettering Town, started the day alongside two returning strikers in Dan Maguire and Kurt Willoughby.

Maguire is battling back from various injuries and played just less than an hour of his first start since early November. Willoughby has just arrived at Bootham Crescent on a month-long loan from Fylde, where he found playing time limited after coming back from a hernia injury. His was a promising debut, of which he got the full 90 minutes.

Alex Kempster, Burrow's usual fellow frontman, came off the bench at the same time as Maguire's replacement Macaulay Langstaff, who had a decent chance well blocked before coming off following a clash with 10 minutes to go.

“It doesn’t take that long to get an understanding," Burrow said. "It’s still a big grass field and we’ve all played football before.

“When you’re playing with good players, it makes it easier.

“They’ve not played much football but they’re two really good players," he added of Maguire and Willoughby. "We haven’t seen much of Kurt apart from the times he’s played against us and looked really sharp. I thought he had a good debut today.

“Nipper’s feeling his way back in. Obviously he still shows little flashes of brilliance.

“The lads who came off the bench looked really sharp. I don’t know how bad Macaulay Langstaff’s injury is but I know he looked sharp when he came on. So did Kemps.

“There’s some really good options."

The 27-year-old is a man in form. The first goal from the 2-0 win at Southport included, the neat finish on Saturday was his fifth in five games and 14th of the National League North season. However, there remains confusion about who scored the opener at Haig Avenue - but not about Saturday's goal.

Paddy McLaughlin dinked a delightful ball for David Ferguson to latch onto down the left in front of the David Longhurst Stand and deliver from the byline to the near post, where Burrow glanced in.

"People are quick to take them off you, so that's definitely my goal," Burrow said light-heartedly. "It was a good ball from Fergy and it was nice to get one in front of the fans.

"More importantly, it was three points," he added, echoing the sentiments of boss Steve Watson following the hard-fought win.

Though the game was far from spectacular, it was an important reaction to the previous Saturday's 1-0 defeat at King's Lynn Town.

"We didn't really have flow or rhythm first half," Burrow said. "It was tough going to be honest. The gaffer got into us at half-time and there were a few words said between us and I think we came out second half a lot more on the front foot.

"On the whole (at King's Lynn), we played well. It was probably the story of the season where we've had chances and not converted them.

"Maybe subconsciously there was a bit of that in the back of our minds, a bit of a hangover, but we quickly got rid of that at half-time.

"It shouldn't take 45 minutes but today it did. I think Kettering came with a game plan. They're a difficult team to break down.

"At this stage of the season, it's about getting three points and that's what we did today so hopefully everyone's happy."