RORY Fallon could yet have a vital role to play in the fight to the finish according to strike partner Sam Parkin.

The club's leading scorer has also accused one or two people of 'short memories' when it comes to assessing Town's No 8.

Manager Andy King labelled them a 'forceful' as opposed to an ideal attacking duo after Saturday's draw with Blackpool but Parkin is happy to work alongside the big New Zealander and feels it is a combination which can deliver goals.

Parkin, pictured with Fallon right, is not merely trying to give a colleague some encouragement, he says history speaks for itself.

Fallon has found himself cast somewhat into the County Ground shadows at times this year with Darius Henderson and Christian Roberts both being preferred to him in attack.

Neither are available to the manager now though and the time is ripe for Fallon to seize his chance.

No-one is more delighted about that than Parkin, who feels the former Barnsley man is ready to cause some misery for opposing defenders.

He said: "I enjoy playing with Rory and I think we can score goals together. I think he's admitted himself that's he's had an up and down season so far but the fire is there in his belly.

"We did a lot of good talking on the pitch on Saturday and he's set me up with a couple of chances, one of which I should have taken. If the manager decides we're the pair he wants to go with then I know we'll both give it our best shot. I think the signs are good."

It is hardly as if Fallon is unproven and Parkin thinks some people may have forgotten just how big a part the youngster played in getting Town to the play-offs and then almost the final itself last season.

He said: "Maybe when Rory came here last season it might have been slightly different in that he didn't have the pressure of being the main man if you like. More often than not he would be trying to make an impact from the bench.

"What you can't argue with is that he did make an impact. Rory was a major player for us at the end of last season.

"He came up with goals at a time when Tommy Mooney and I weren't scoring as regularly as we had been.

"Rory scored those goals and he was a major factor over the last months of the campaign of us reaching the play-offs and coming within seconds of getting to the Millennium Stadium."

Parkin also dismisses any notion that two six-foot strikers being paired together will simply lead to a diet of long ball.

Well, if that's what it does lead to then it certainly won't be by request. He said: "I think Rory and I have both said at one time or another that we like balls to feet.

"We've plenty of players in the side capable of providing the service and that's what we'll be hoping for."