ROVERS new boy Chris Cornes has vowed to put his troubled past behind him and fire his new club up the British Gas Business Premier Division.

Cornes signed for Rovers last week after his contract at Blue Square North side Telford was terminated by mutual consent.

He made a dream debut in Saturday's 2-0 win at Hemel Hempstead, setting up Sam Alsop for the Greens' opener before scoring the second.

But Cornes, who can operate as a striker or in midfield, has endured a turbulent 18 months prior to arriving at the Victoria Ground.

The 21-year-old started out as a trainee at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was on the fringes of the first team before he tested positive for cocaine.

After serving a six-month ban he was released by the Championship outfit, before Worcester City threw him a lifeline.

He struggled to make an impact at St George's Lane, and moved to Telford last March, helping the Buck's Head club win promotion from the Unibond Premier Division, before falling out of favour.

After making an immediate impact at Rovers, Cornes believes the club is an ideal place for him to make a fresh start.

"It is good to get back playing and training again, having the banter with the lads," he said.

"I haven't played for a while, I think this will be the sixth or seventh week.

"I have had a bit of a rough ride since I was 17 or 18.

"I might have bought it on a bit myself, but it has not helped with some of the clubs I have been at.

"But Bromsgrove is a good club and the chairman, the manager and the players are a good bunch.

"I was probably going to give them a call, but I got a call from Steve Daniels (Rovers' director of football) who sold the club to me.

"I knew it was going places and was starting to pick up points since Darbs (caretaker manager Duane Darby) has been here."

Saturday's win was the best result of Duane Darby's reign, propelling them away from the drop zone and back into the play-off reckoning.

Cornes believes promotion is a realistic target for the Greens and insisted he can be the man to deliver goals.

"Hopefully I can get under the wings of some of the older players and get a fresh start, get into the play-offs and even try and get promoted," he added.

"I know before the game we were only a few points off the relegation zone but so many points off the play-offs.

"But now people are going to be looking back over their shoulders thinking Bromsgrove are coming up.

"Darbs said he was looking for a striker and I said I could do it.

"Hopefully I have proven that I can and take it from there."

Caretaker boss Darby described Cornes as a "big asset" to his squad.

He admitted the player needs to work hard to improve his match sharpness.

"He hasn't played for a long time but now we'll get him in, get him sharper, get a bit of weight off him," he said.

"He'll be a big asset for us if we do, because there is no doubt about it, the lad has got talent."

Darby is looking to add to his squad further in the coming weeks, with a tough-tackling midfielder believed to be his priority.

Rovers will welcome back Jozsef Jakab for Saturday's trip to Mangotsfield, but Les Hines (hamstring) and Dave Bridgwater (thigh) are doubtful.

Striker Neil Davis has joined Midland Alliance outfit Stratford on loan.