Moseley head coach Ian Smith has tipped James Aston to return to the free-scoring form that made him the hottest property in National League rugby two seasons ago.

Aston made his first appearance of the season in Saturday's emphatic 47-3 win over Barking after battling to overcome a persistent groin injury that required surgery in the summer.

It was a promising start to the campaign for the powerful wing, who scored a 40th-minute try to claim a bonus point for his side and one that Smith believes could signal a return to his barnstorming best.

Aston was National Two's leading scorer in 2003-4 as part of an otherwise weak Moseley side. His 18 tries not only attracted the attention of several higher-ranked clubs but also beat Moseley's single-season record, set by Darragh O'Mahony in 1998.

But since then his progress has been measured in something less than giant strides as he has struggled with form and fitness. Finally, it all appears to be behind him and Smith thinks he could be on the way back to the top of the scoring charts.

"He has done it once, I cannot see any reason why he can't do it again," the former Scotland flanker said.

"He seems to be up at the moment. He is very full of it. He has had two or three games in the second team which have gone alright so he's raring to go.

"He wasn't fit for 18 months. He carried the problem all the way through last season, so he's relieved that it's finally over and he's pain-free."

Aston's performance against Barking was solid, rather than spectacular, but Smith expressed his pleasure at the way he negotiated it.

"Considering it was his first game, he went well. He offered himself up and carried the ball up effectively," he said.

"The try will have done him a lot of good, too; although he was playing well last year, he was struggling to get on the scoresheet. He had to finish off some good work by his team-mates and did what we know he can do. He also looked sharp coming through the middle."

There had been some suspicions that Aston's first year in senior rugby, when Steve Ojomoh was in charge at Bournbrook, was a flash in the pan. Smith does not believe that to be the case.

"It often happens that after a really good first season, the second one is harder because teams are more aware of you," he said. "Nathan Bressington is like that, he's having to come up against two defenders every game.

"Then in the third season they tend to forget about you again and you can pick up where you left off." Which is exactly what Aston is hoping to do.