Alan Dowson is backing returning Dartford striker Alex Wall to score 20 goals this season.

Darts manager Dowson has turned to Wall to add a physical presence to his frontline, but the striker’s recent troubles with injuries mean it may be seen as a gamble in some quarters.

Dowson, however, stated that Wall is fit and raring to go for what will be his third spell at Princes Park.

“On his day he is one of the best in the league, he’s got everything to prove,” stated Dowson.

“I’ve got to show some belief in him, we’ve had him medically checked out by the doctors and medical team and there’s nothing wrong with him.

"He’s had a couple of injury scares in the last year but it just shows there’s nothing wrong.

“A fit Alex Wall will be a revelation for us and a fit Alex Wall will help us achieve what we want to this year.

“I’ve got every confidence in the lad, he just needs a bit of belief in him that he can play 40 games a season, that he can score 20 goals - like he did at Concord - that he can cause defences headaches.

“His biggest problem has been getting enough game-time on the pitch and that’s what we’ve got to work on, he’s got to get 40 games a season.”

Wall left Havant at the end of last season and Dowson admitted Dartford could not offer him a deal similar to that offered by the Hawks.

He wants Wall to bring a nastiness to the squad.

“It’s not pay-per-play but he’ll benefit a lot more if he does play, put it that way, and if he plays and scores goals, he’ll benefit quite a lot,” added Dowson.

“We can’t afford what he was on last year but he wants to come here and prove a point, he feels that he can do it here and he likes the Dartford way, having played here before.

“It’s not about money, it’s not about contracts, it’s about Alex Wall playing games and scoring goals, which is what he loves to do most.

“I used to hate him when my teams came up against him, I’d shout at him and everything! But I’ve got total belief in him, you want him on your side as he is nasty, fair but nasty, to play against.

“You need some nastiness in your team, we’ve got some good footballers but you need a couple who see the other side of things and that’s what he will give us on and off the pitch.

“He trained well in the first session on Saturday and he wants to get out there and score goals for Dartford.”

Dartford have also signed young defender Maxwell Statham, who impressed for struggling Welling last season where he was runner-up in their player-of-the-year vote.

The 21-year-old can play anywhere across the back line.

“He was at Tottenham and Watford, had his first year in senior football last season and he’ll only benefit from that and get better,” said Dowson.

“He’s a young kid who we believe can progress. He can play wing-back, right centre-half, either full-back.

“You can get a team in your head but you need flexibility in your players as we’re playing Saturday-Tuesday all the time.

“There’s more teams in the league this year, so you need a bigger squad but not one with 20 players.

"If you have players who can play in three or four positions then that will help, and he’s one of them.”