HAVING missed a month due to injury, it took only 29 minutes for Amar Purewal to provide a reminder of what’s been badly missing from Darlington’s frontline.

His goal gave Darlington the lead at Ossett Town on Saturday, and within 120 seconds he had set up Graeme Armstrong to add the second.

It was not only goals he laid on as the striker led the line well, bringing others into play and holding the ball up as he played a pivotal role in Quakers ending their run of six matches in all competitions without a win.

The quickfire double knocked the stuffing out of Ossett – they did not look like posing a threat as Quakers cantered to victory – and the afternoon reaffirmed Martin Gray’s faith in Purewal, one of a number that the manager has lamented the loss of due to injury.

David Dowson and Terry Galbraith have also been sidelined, but perhaps it’s Purewal’s loss that has been most keenly felt, at least according to the statistics.

Darlington won only one of the six league matches he missed, the 7-0 walkover against Kendal when the opposition had two men sent off early on, and that poor run ensured Purewal’s standing improved as he recovered from a hamstring strain sustained during the second game of the season at Spennymoor Town.

Gray, who expects to confirm the signing of a defender today, said: “It doesn’t matter which club you’re at, you need players fit to challenge for places, to put people on their toes and I thought Amar was great. He was a handful, he stretched their defence and he got a goal. He holds the ball up, but he can also move the ball well. He’d be a big player for anybody’s team and he’s been a big miss so it’s great he’s back.”

After an aborted comeback against Blyth in the FA Cup two weeks ago, when he had to be replaced by David Dowson, only to later see the sub also taken off due to injury, Gray needed to know Purewal was 100 per cent on Saturday.

He is likely to start up front alongside Armstrong again on Wednesday against Harrogate RA at Heritage Park.

Purewal said: “After what happened against Blyth I was worried about breaking down again, but the goal gave me confidence.

“I took it steady and didn’t chase stupid balls that looked like they were going out of play. I just bided my time and made the right runs.

“I thought I might come off after 60 minutes, so it’s a bonus to play for so long. I’m ready to play on Wednesday.”

Purewal scored after nicking in ahead of keeper Brad Dixon by intercepting a poor pass in the home side’s defence.

Two minutes later his pass to Armstrong saw his strike partner keep cool to slot past the keeper in off the post.

Purewal’s return was not the only highlight as Alan White, who’d missed the draw at Radcliffe Borough, was reliable as ever at the centre of a solid defence.

Very little got through to Peter Jameson, whose only moment of concern came in the second half via an awry Leon Scott backpass that the keeper handled, leading to an indirect free-kick six yards from goal. Ossett made a hash of it though, and Darlington went on to keep their first clean sheet in four games.

They have been off the boil of late and Saturday was hardly a soaring return to top form, but it was a deserved win. They are up to sixth and with two home games to come this week against clubs in the bottom five (Harrogate RA and Padiham), they can begin to create momentum.

Gray said: “It’s a good result because Ossett have had some good results of late and the pitch wasn’t as good as it looks. The back four were really strong and the midfield had a good shape.”