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Four goals in two appearances – or “four in two hours” as the Long Eaton-based striker cheerfully points out – have forced the 31-year-old back to the fore after the shirt he has worn through five years of unparalleled success at the Moat Ground over the last five years seemed under threat.

The popular front-runner admitted after following his double strike as substitute at Bridgnorth with two more against Highgate in the FA Cup on Saturday: “I was disappointed to lose my place. I’d been on holiday for two weeks in pre-season but I’d scored three times in two reserve games and I was hoping to get in.

“I’d been a regular for five years but it’s no use stamping your feet about it – we’ve got a good squad now with plenty of good players around. There’s a lot of competition for places up front with Mike Taplin around – I’ve known him for years and he’s always been a good player. He was unlucky not to score in the opening two games.

“Then there’s Brian Beresford waiting for a chance – he’ll always score goals whatever level he plays at. But it’s a question of getting into the side and banging in the goals to keep your place – and it couldn’t have gone better for me at Bridgnorth. I cam on for half an hour and scored with my first touch then managed to get another in injury time. The ref told me time was up, then John Barry crossed and I headed it in.

“It was a right kick in the teeth for us to go a goal down at Bridgnorth and we had to come from behind again to beat Highgate on Saturday.

“But the same spirit is there in the side again that we had when we got to Wembley. There’s always been skill in the side at Gresley but you need that team spirit when your backs are against the wall.

“The trouble is that people start expecting you to come back every time you go a goal down – and it doesn’t always work out like that.”