WES Fletcher wants to end his first full season as a professional on 20 goals.

The York City forward has netted 13 times this term, which places him only three goals behind Sky Bet League Two’s leading marksman Sam Winnall, of Scunthorpe.

But the hard-working Liverpudlian feels he could be closer to Winnall’s tally and is targeting a final haul that normally serves as the benchmark for every aspiring goalscorer.

On his efforts in front of goal, with 14 games left to play in 2013/14, Fletcher said: “I’d like to have got a few more goals but I am pleased up to now.

“It’s better when you are scoring and the team are winning as well, which we have been doing. I like to score as many goals as I can and I would be happy getting to 20, while helping the team get wins to shoot up the table.”

Fletcher has lined up alongside fellow 22-year-old Ryan Bowman for City in every game since the first weekend in January. Unlike his striking partner, Bowman has seen the goals dry up in recent times, failing to hit the target in six matches.

But Fletcher has enjoyed playing alongside the former Hereford attacker and is backing him to get back on the goal trail soon, adding: “He’s very good in the air and I like it when he wins the flick-ons that he goes up for.

“He has a bit of everything, though, really. You see his ability in training when he’s always scoring goals. He’s very capable of that and I am sure the goals will come again.”

With the likes of wing trio Josh Carson, Michael Coulson and Will Hayhurst providing the ammunition in recent matches, Fletcher also feels he is benefiting from City’s expansive approach to the game during recent fixtures.

“The supply has been better during the last few games,” he explained. “We have got the ball down more and passed it about. “We did that at Plymouth where we had a lot of possession and did well.”

Fletcher recognises, meanwhile, that nine-goal Ryan Jarvis’ return from injury means there can be no let up in front of the net.

“That kind of competition means you have to keep banging in the goals to keep your place in the team,” he reasoned.

Knowing a win over Southend – this afternoon’s visitors to Bootham Crescent – would close the gap on the division’s top-seven teams to five points, Fletcher is not ruling out a late play-off push either, saying: “We just have to concentrate on one game at a time and, hopefully, we will be somewhere around there at the end of the season.

“It’s a very tight league and we are very capable of doing that.”

Fletcher also reckons last weekend’s 4-0 win at Plymouth can act as a springboard for another positive display against the Shrimpers.

“They are a big, tough side but we played quite well at their place, other than the winning goal they scored in the last minute,” Fletcher pointed out. “That’s never the best feeling but, with the way we have been playing, we feel we have a good chance of beating them.

“The result at Plymouth has done a lot for confidence and morale and given us a big boost going into this game.”