Born-again striker Mark Sertori is happy sacrificing goal glory for the greater good.

Eight games without a goal would zap the confidence of any striker - but not Sertori as he was aiming to break his duck against title chasing Darlington today.

Indeed, the former Halifax and Scunthorpe player insists he is relishing his role reversal and accepts it is the way forward under new boss Terry Dolan.

Sertori, signed last year from Halifax Town by previous boss Neil Thompson to give the City rearguard a 'physical' presence', said: "Hopefully, the ball will drop for me soon but at the moment scoring doesn't mean that much to me for the simple reason we are playing well.

"We are winning in the main and while I would like to score if it means me scoring one or even a hat-trick and we lose then it is pointless."

Sertori, 32, maintains his back to front switch is now a permanent one.

And despite not having scored since moving up front - a role he filled at the beginning of his career and sporadically since - Sertori insists he is just as happy making goals for his Minstermen team mates.

Significantly, Sertori had a major hand in three of City's four goals that led to a six point haul from their encounters with Hartlepool and Lincoln last month.

"The gaffer has specified which way he wants us to play and we are getting on with it and we are getting a bit of joy from it," said the Manchester-born player.

"He has said he wants me up front and so I will get myself into that mode. I have played half my career up front but I am more of a target man.

"I will run all day and unsettle people which I think this league is all about that.

"If you do that there are other lads that will get seconds."

Sertori dispelled talk that City were safe from relegation and therefore the Minstermen's season was effectively over.

"You are not safe until you are mathematically safe," he said.

"You don't want to get dragged into a false sense of security and then all of a sudden find yourselves in a real battle.

"We will be going out looking to win Saturday's game and once we are safe then we can maybe think about taking our foot of the gas.

"But that isn't going to happen under this gaffer because he wants us to win as many games as we can and carry it on through to next season."

Sertori admitted a virtually injury-free squad had helped City stretch their unbeaten run to six games.

"We have got a full squad now so we have competition.

"I feel sorry for Neil Thompson because we never had that.

"Everyone is fighting for their places now and the way we are playing at the moment we can give anyone a good game."

l Dave's Diary - Page 40

sport@ycp.co.uk

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