DAVID GRAY has dropped down two divisions in his quest to rediscover the scoring touch - and it has worked!

The 6ft 3in marksman signed for Nelson this summer after a rollercoaster 18 months which saw him dropped from Rossendale United, go on trial to Accrington Stanley and finally end up at the North West Counties second division club.

He has scored 14 goals this season - including four against Daisy Hill in an 8-1 whitewash - and hopes to bag more tomorrow as the Blues continue their FA Vase quest at home to Dunston Federation Brewery.

"I went on trial at Accrington at the beginning of the season and I liked it but they have some quality forwards there and John (Coleman, the Stanley manager) said I could stay but he couldn't offer me first time football.

"John (Bailey, the Nelson manager) rang to see if I wanted to go down there and I liked it, it's a good laugh down there, they're a good set of lads."

Gray won the NWCL Division One title with Rossendale in 2001 - scoring 22 goals -but got an ankle injury quite early on in the club's first year in the UniBond first division and missed the majority of last season.

He eventually made his comeback with a few games to go but struggled to adapt quickly enough and boss Jim McCluskie released the player, who had been on a contract at Dark Lane.

"I was disappointed with what happened at Rossendale," he said. "I didn't feel I got a proper chance but the pressure was on to go up and I needed games.

"Jim put me on the transfer list and what's happened has happened. I am over it now."

The move to Nelson appealed to the pacey 22-year-old as it was a chance to play regular first team football again.

"The games are a bit easier," he said. "But there are a lot of dirty players at that level!

"I'm just enjoying playing and getting out there because people forget about you if you're not playing and not scoring goals.

"I want to get my reputation back and hopefully I can do that if I carry on scoring for Nelson.

"I have only played in the FA Vase once, for Rossendale, but we were knocked out by Brigg Town.

"But it is the biggest cup competition for players at our level and if we get through there is the chance to set up a local derby with Clitheroe."

Clitheroe - the area's FA Vase specialists - don't enter the competition until the second round stage because of their recent history in the competition.

They knocked Nelson out at that stage last year - but needed a replay to do it - and went on to the quarter finals.

"The games were close last year and it would be great to draw them again," said Gray, who lives in Bacup.

"I know a couple of their players, Carl Greenwood and Gary Rishton, and I played there for a few games about three years ago.

"Seeing local players going on a run in the FA Vase like Clitheroe have done in the past few years spurs you on to go on a run like that yourself."

Dunston Federation Brewery are currently 15th in Northern League Division One.