DARRYL Duffy hopes his late winner for Cheltenham Town at Northampton Town on Saturday can persuade boss Mark Yates to play two up front more often.
Last season's top marksman fired his first League goal of the campaign in the 80th minute to complete a fine fightback at Sixfields, where the Robins won 3-2 for a second successive year.
Duffy has often fallen victim of Yates' preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, admitting that he is far more comfortable with a strike partner.
His lack of football has resulted in him asking for a loan move on several occasions this term, but Yates has said he is going nowhere and Duffy now wants a chance to embark on a scoring run.
"I am a striker who loves moving and trying to get the space to score goals," Duffy said. "I've not had many opportunities, but I think I grabbed my opportunity at Northampton.
"Playing up front alone is not my favourite role and holding the ball up is not my main strength, but a lone striker needs to do that so I am not the best to play that role.
"I've always said I work well with a partner, I need someone up there and hopefully this has shown we can play two up front without taking anything away from the midfield."
Duffy's brace made it five goals in three appearances for Cheltenham against Northampton and he described it as one of the most enjoyable moments of his time with the club.
"Any goal is special, but since I have been out of the team for so long and only started one League game before Saturday on the back of being top scorer last year, it does feel special," Duffy said.
"I could have felt sorry for myself, gone on the pitch and sulked, but even if I wanted to, my natural game would kick in and I'd run about anyway – that's the way I am and the way I always will be.
"The manager has told me he needs me here so I have to keep being patient and try my best when I am given the chance."
Duffy scored in the opening two rounds of the FA Cup last season to help set up a dream third round tie at Tottenham Hotspur.
They travel to Hereford United tomorrow night with a televised home tie against Everton at stake and Duffy is hoping he has done enough to be considered for a starting place at Edgar Street.
"It would be nice to set up another tie against a Premier League club, but as long as we get there that's the main thing and it's a massive game," he said.
Yates, meanwhile, admitted he feared a heavy defeat after Northampton went 2-0 up inside just 13 minutes.
"I thought I had picked the wrong team and all our plans could have gone out of the window, but credit to the players for turning it around and we got what we deserved in the end," Yates said.
"They manned up because we were outfought in the first 15 minutes and at one stage I thought we were going to get a tanking.
"It was a great finish from Darryl and he got his rewards for the hard work he's been putting in of late.
"I want to keep him around and maybe he needed to go back to Northampton to score after scoring two last year.
"I thought it might be set up for him and so it proved and hopefully that gets him right back in my plans."
Forward Jeff Goulding is rated as 50/50 for tomorrow night after missing the trip to Northampton due to a badly bruised knee.
