WHISPER it but Chris Zok feels he can rekindle his early career goalscoring exploits now that he is back for a second playing stint at Renfrew.

The 29-year-old hitman has given a glimpse of what he is capable of bringing to the Frew attack with four goals in his last two outings.

And he followed up his double strike in the 4-2 competitive outing against Thorniewood United with a similarly well-taken opportunist brace in a 3-1 friendly defeat of Ayrshire big guns Irvine Meadow .

Now he’s determined to be among the goals again when the Central First Division frontrunners host the visit of bottom markers Vale of Clyde tomorrow.

Not least because hitman Zok reckons he needs to be scoring consistently to have any chance of holding down a place in Renfrew’s starting line-up.

He said: "I’ve hopefully made the most of the opportunity to impress by notching a few goals recently.

"But you just have to look at the competition for striking jerseys here to know that nobody can take their place for granted.

“Gary McGarroch has been playing out of his skin while Alan Kinney is back in contention after work commitments forced him to sit out a couple of games so there’s a big decision to be made.

“I’m feeling upbeat and confident however I know there’s even better to come and would love the chance to prove it.”

Zok’s return to the Renfrew fold after leaving at the start of last season came about when a moderately successful spell with Cumbernauld United was followed by him making an ill-advised move to Rutherglen Glencairn during the summer months.

He added: "I’ve been a regular scorer in games against the Glens down the years and I think that factor was behind Willie Harvey’s signing approach.

“But I knew my switch of clubs was a major mistake almost from the moment I walked into New Southcroft Park for the first time and my frame of mind ensured I was never going to settle despite Willie’s best efforts.

“Part of me wanted to prove he was right to chase down my signature and I stuck around for a few weeks longer than was necessary.

"But nothing was coming off for me out on the pitch and eventually Willie agreed it was just not happening for me and we parted on good terms.

“I look for Glencairn’s result every Saturday and want them to do well for his sake, however I do believe my decision to head out the door has turned out to be the right one.

“I’m playing with a title challenging club and with a terrific bunch of guys to boot so there’s nothing for me to dislike at New Western Park and every game leaves me feeling better and sharper.”

Zok's first score in what was his second game back on returning to Renfrew came in a 2-0 Fullarton Park defeat of tomorrow’s opponents Vale of Clyde.

But he doesn’t consider the goals will be easy come by against the Central First Division bottom markers.

He insisted: "Top v Bottom might look a stonewaller home victory on paper, however the Vale were more than decent at their place and we had to dig deep in order to pick up all three points.

“The fact we’ve not lost in eight games will only fire their players up and I fancy we will need to be close to our best to come out on top.”

Tin Pail boss Ian Currie is well aware of former Harmony Row marksman Zok’s form but believes his Clyde on loan striking ace Scott McManus could be the name spoken by spectators come the final whistle.

He said: "Scott netted a hat trick in last weekend’s 4-4 draw with Shettleston that Messi or Ronaldo would be proud to claim.

“Two of his strikes came from identical 20-yard chip shots and he also bagged the only goal in a 1-0 defeat of Annbank United that was our last competitive outing and he’s getting his reward for putting so much into training.

“Our problem all season has been putting the ball in the net and it’s hard not to think our season is about to be turned around seeing as Scott is now on board to supply the finishing touches to our decent outfield play.”

A single point might suffice to allow the Vale to leapfrog over second bottom Dunipace, facing a tough test away to Johnstone Burgh.

Meanwhile, latest news on the comings and goings front reckons former Dundee signing Carlo Monti could be on the verge of rejoining his former Junior club Pollok in time to feature in tomorrow’s Super Premier Division head-to-head against reigning champions Auchinleck Talbot.

Lok boss Tony McInally was at pains to play down the whispers when saying earlier this week that “he hadn’t so much as looked the player in the eye" since his reputed return from Malta in late December.

However, word from inside Newlandsfield suggests Monti and Macca met up at the Southside ground for signing talks on Wednesday night.