PHIL TURNBULL’S long-awaited first Darlington goal a fortnight ago was warmly received, his injury-time strike completing a 2-0 win over Gloucester, and ending a drought tracing back to the beginning of last season. But there is a player in the squad who has played twice as many games without finding the net.

Chris Hunter is one of the club’s longest serving players having joined in 2013 and played a full part in the club’s success since, but the defender’s only goal was in a friendly.

He has made 142 competitive appearances – more than twice as many as Turnbull’s 68 – without scoring, but Hunter is more concerned with stopping the opposition.

“I scored once in a friendly game and that was it,” laughed Hunter, who will hope to keep his place at right-back today when Darlington face Curzon Ashton at Blackwell Meadows.

“I stay back at corners, I don’t get far enough forward, and when I do it’s out wide.

“I think I’ve scored about two goals in my whole career, I leave it to everyone else.”

If Hunter starts today it would be his fourth appearance in a row and represent his longest run in the team since last season, opportunities having been limited due to a combination of suspension, injury and the form of Liam Marrs.

Marrs has been sidelined with an ankle problem, but manager Martin Gray has indicated that the summer signing could return today.

“Marrsy got injured so I’ve come into the team and I’m enjoying it, although I’m still getting my match fitness back because I haven’t played many games for four or five months,” added Hunter.

“I had an operation on my knee, had a bit of cartilage removed, and there’s no pain from it now.

“I was suspended for the start of the season, so it’s been a bad season for me, but the team have been doing well. Marrsy was flying, but he’s picked up an injury and it’s good that we’ve got depth in the squad because I’ve come in and covered for him.

“It’s been hard not playing, but Marrs has done well so I can’t expect to play every week. I’m in the shirt at the moment and I’ve got to try and keep hold of it.”

Hunter did his chances of keeping the number two shirt no harm with a solid display seven days ago, limiting the influence of Stockport County’s Danny Lloyd.

One lapse did see the winger score a header, however, the first goal of a 3-3 draw, while goalkeeper Peter Jameson was at fault for Stockport’s second goal.

Hunter added: “Every game you play at this level is a step up. Playing in front of this many fans is a new experience in England, but I used to play in front of more in America when I was at university. But this is a different type of game, Stockport gave it everything, there were tackles flying in.

“The number 11 for them, Lloyd, was a very good player. I got my body in front of him a few times and I think I did okay against him. It’s hard when you get isolated against someone like that, he can go either side, but it was a good battle and I enjoyed it.

“We could probably have stopped all three goals. We were not carved open, they were mistakes – me for the first one, Pete for the second one.

“We might have pinched the win without the mistakes. We’re scoring for fun and we said before the game that if we keep a clean sheet we win the game.

“We keep saying we need to cut out the mistakes, but it’ll happen.”

Jameson is expected to keep his place today, with reserve Ed Wilczyski again on the bench, but David Ferguson will make his first start since joining a week ago from Shildon.