Boss Robert Taylor believes veteran striker Stuart Jopling's return to Diss Town will help his side's players flourish in coming weeks.

Much-travelled target man Jopling rejoined the Tangerines on Tuesday night after deciding to leave fellow Ridgeons Premier Division Hadleigh United.

He impressed as Diss' first team beat their reserves 5-0 in a friendly that night and will be in the squad for the visit of high-flying Dereham Town on Saturday (3pm).

Taylor said: 'Stuart is a player who can hold the ball up and to be fair he is the type of target man we've been missing.

'He will give our midfield time to support him because recently the ball's been coming back too quickly. Now we will be able to get further up the pitch and the other lads can get in areas to create more chances or score goals themselves.

'He will bring out the confidence in other players to do that because they know they'll get the ball back. He did it on Tuesday and helped the rest of the team flourish.

'He can score goals but it's his overall play which will really help us - he's hopefully the missing piece of our jigsaw.'

Jopling has played for a host of other non-league clubs including Debenham LC, Mildenhall Town, Stowmarket Town and Needham Market.

Taylor has a full compliment of players to chose from at the weekend as his 17th-placed side prepare for their first league game since January 28.

'I know we've only won one game in the last eight but I'm not worried because we're playing well,' said Taylor.

'We've played some lovely stuff and created plenty of chances but we haven't been taking them. We're still looking to sign another striker but it was a bonus to score five goals and have 90 minutes on Tuesday after our friendly against Framlingham was called off.

'Two or three wins - that we haven't had this season when we have deserved them - would move us up to mid-table.'