The striker has not appeared for Town since the last day of August but is targeting a start in half of their remaining Unibond One North games.

"There are 18 games to go and if I can start half of them hopefully I can pick up a few goals as well," said Ross.

"I have got 20 goals in each of the last couple of seasons but not one yet this season.

"It will be great when the first one goes in."

Ross was on the verge of a return to action in the closing stages of last weekend's 3-2 win against Wakefield at the Shay.

But the visitors bagged their second goal with five minutes remaining and Ross, already stripped and ready for action, was told to sit down again.

"That has been just my luck this season," he said. "We dominated the game, then conceded late and I sat down again.

"It would have been nice to have got on against Wakefield, but hopefully I will get a run out next weekend and take it from there.

"It has been really frustrating over the last couple of months, but it is good to be back and involved.

"I have belief in myself and when I am fully fit I will be challenging."

Ross is fully recovered from the knee problem that he tried to play through in the opening month of the campaign.

"I couldn't even strike a ball or anything at the start of the season," he said.

"I have been striking a ball in the last couple of weeks and everything is fine.

"I will have to ease myself back in. I have only trained a few times with the lads and I am not fully fit.

"If I can get five minutes at the end of games I can get my touch back and build from that."

Of the 13 players who started Ross's last game - the FA Cup preliminary round clash with Silsden at the Shay - five have left the club, the latest being defender Kris King who is hoping to get his career back on track at Leigh Genesis.

And Town boss Jim Vince has not closed the door on a possible future return for the former Wigan Athletic trainee.

"Kris is unfortunate," said Vince. "He is a young lad with a lot of potential but Paul Collins has joined us and he is a couple of years ahead of him.

"For me there is not a choice there. Paul Collins is a far better player at this moment.

"We have ended on close terms and we will keep a look out for him.

"If he does do well over the next couple of seasons, the relationship is such that the door is not shut."

BRIGHOUSE Town's NCE League first division game at Scarborough, postponed on Tuesday due to a frozen pitch, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 10.

Brighouse's game at Yorkshire Amateur, called off at the weekend, will now be played on Tuesday, February 24.