Preview: Tony Gray hoping goals will flow for AFC Telford

Gray netted a penalty, won by first goalscorer Sean Cooke, to help guide the Bucks to a 2-1 friendly win at his former club Chester on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old decided to leave the Deva Stadium in the summer and arrived for a nominal fee with a reputation as a deadly hitman, capable of 20-plus goals a season.

In the league, there has been just one, on the opening day at home to Workington, and Gray is desperate to show the New Bucks Head faithful more of what he can do.

North Ferriby presents his first immediate chance and Gray hopes a simple spot-kick in a friendly can have the snowball effect as he waits to shine in Shropshire.

He said: "We played them in pre-season but it was good to go back and great to score, it was only a penalty but every goal counts.

"Even though it was only a friendly, it's good to be back playing and, hopefully, I can kick on in the league with a few more.

"The thing with me is confidence, I want to get a few more chances and a goal from open play now and get back to scoring.

"I haven't scored in the league since the first day of the season, then I had a good chance away at Boston in the next game where I should have done better.

"My form hasn't been the best and I need to start playing well, first and foremost. I have just got to bide my time.

"There's more to come from me, it's still early days."

Gray knows what glory in the Skrill Conference North feels like – the lasting memory of Chester being crowned champions last season remains relatively fresh in his head.

But the Scouser decided the commitments attached to a Premier push were too much on top of his day job as a painter and decorator.

He may find himself in the same boat if all goes to plan at Telford but, with a number of the squad and management based in Liverpool, he won't be the only one.

Gray said: "I still had a year left on my contract, so it wasn't a case of them letting me go.

"I had already decided that going up a level, with all of the travelling and stuff, wasn't the right move at this stage of my career.

"I thought it best for both of us that I moved on but, if that happens with Telford this season, I will be more ready for it.

"I think my circumstances will have changed this time."

Telford have seen the disappointment of an FA Cup exit against Hednesford Town the last time they played at home force them into two enforced breaks.

Tomorrow's game comes exactly two weeks after a league win at Histon and it will be a fortnight before they play again after that, away at Stockport County.

A trip to Brackley and the visit of Vauxhall Motors have both been rescheduled due to their opponent's involvement in the Cup and Gray admits the players would rather be in action.

He said: "You can't win either way. If you get a good result, you want to keep playing.

"If you lose, you want to get out there and do something about it."