CHARLIE Wyke views new strike partner Paul Taylor as a "massive threat" to City's opponents.

Taylor has appeared in various roles since joining in the summer but has currently nailed down a place up front.

He has started six of the last seven games and notched another spectacular long-range blast in the recent home loss to Scunthorpe.

Taylor's form is keeping out the club's other frontmen and Wyke admits he is enjoying working with someone who has a more unorthodox style.

Wyke said: "It's a bit different because he likes to drop off in the pocket and always wants to get on the ball. You can see that in training, he's looking for it all the time.

"But I think we've got a good partnership going at the minute. We enjoy playing with each other and it's going well.

"He plays left midfield, right midfield, up front and behind the striker – all over really.

"He pops up in good positions and can get in behind defenders and stretch them as well as coming to get on the ball. You can see he's a massive threat for teams.

"You have to adapt when you're playing up there with different strikers but that's not a problem.

"Some people like to put the ball in and you've got to make sure you're in the box. But maybe when we're away from home and trying to play through teams, you've got to drop off and hold the ball a bit more.

"No matter how we play, we've been doing all right. Obviously it's been going better away but at home we've just got to start putting our chances in."

Omari Patrick and Dominic Poleon were both on the scoresheet for the reserves against Walsall in midweek, while Shay McCartan and Jordan Gibson also caught the eye for Stuart McCall.

The City boss is pleased to see the response from those currently on the fringes of his attack and another opportunity beckons in the Checkatrade Trophy tie against Oldham on Tuesday.

McCall said: "We're always repeating it but every chance you get to make an impression, whether it's in a game or training, you have to take it.

"You need games when you're not in the team and it was a good work-out the other day. The data was really high and that was good to see.

"I was impressed with the four front ones. Omari got two goals, Dom has got a goal, Shay looked sharp playing in that number ten forward area and Jordan Gibson also did well.

"A few haven't had a lot of game-time recently, like Adam Thompson who played at the back, and it was a very worthwhile exercise. There were some strong performances.

"Now we've got the Checkatrade after the FA Cup and again, whoever plays in it will have that opportunity to make their mark.

"You look at Tyrell Robinson, who had two really good games which helped elevate him into the forefront of our mind. Jordan is another who has played well in the Checkatrade and that's what you want to see."

Top scorer Wyke, meanwhile, still feels he was cheated out of his tenth goal of the campaign at Shrewsbury last week.

His second-half header was ruled out after the assistant flagged for Tony McMahon taking the ball out of play as he crossed – a decision that City hotly disputed.

Wyke played his part in the winner with a first-time flick to release Alex Gilliead but the centre forward remains mystified as to why his own effort was denied.

He said: "I still don't know what happened there. I spoke to Tony again about it yesterday and he was 100 per cent sure the ball wasn't out.

"It's frustrating for me because that's a few goals this season I've had ruled out. I could have another three or four already – but what can you do?

"Not having another league game for two weeks because of the FA Cup, it was a big win for us at Shrewsbury.

"Now we want to start winning at home and we're working hard to do that. We're playing fine, we've just got to take our chances."