WORCESTER City are planning to use Junior English as a makeshift striker more often after starring up front last weekend.

The experienced midfielder formed an unfamiliar strike partnership with striker Steven Craig in City’s 2-2 draw with Darlington in Vanarama National League North last Saturday.

Captain Danny Jackman, who is assistant to caretaker boss John Snape, hailed English’s performance as “brilliant”.

The 31-year-old had an effort deflected wide, set up Jordan Murphy for an 84th minute equaliser and Jackman said he helped take “pressure off” struggling City.

“We stuck Junior up there to give us a little bit more of a physical presence as we felt the ball was coming back a little too easily at times,” Jackman said.

“I thought he was brilliant for us as he brought people into play, won headers and held it up for us.

“He just takes a little bit of pressure off the team.

“When you have been defending for so long and you see Junior holding the ball up it means the team can get another 30 or 40 yards up the pitch when you make a clearance.

“I thought we did that at times, so Junior was definitely a strong point for us on Saturday.”

The Blue and Whites have been struggling to fill the goal scoring boots of Lee Hughes and Colby Bishop since the duo joined AFC Telford United and Boston United respectively.

But Jackman appears to be in favour of English playing further forward as third-from-bottom City try to avoid relegation.

“We haven’t got a massive amount of forwards,” he said.

“So I think it might have been Junior who said he had played there previously, but it worked well on Saturday, so moving forward it might be something we look at doing more.”

With Craig continuing to find goals hard to come by, Murphy seems to be in pole position to claim the number nine shirt for City’s trip to Nuneaton Town on Saturday (3pm).

Worcester have also signed Gambia international Pa Sulay Njie.

Murphy came off the bench to score twice against Darlington, with his second coming in stoppage-time before Harvey Saunders struck moments later.

“We have got to take positives out of the two goals we scored on Saturday,” added Jackman, whose side are without a league win since November 12.

“On another day we could have had a couple more.

“We are not too worried that we are not creating chances because we are, but finishing is a whole different story.

“That’s why the top guys get paid all that money because sticking the ball in the back of the net is the hardest part.

“But we will keep going and we can take a lot of happiness from our performance and the result as well.”