TONY Mowbray believes the emergence of Joe Nuttall has spurred on his Rovers frontmen and feels there is healthy competition for places in the squad ahead of tonight’s re-arranged FA Cup replay at Crewe Alexandra.

Nuttall is likely to get the nod to start at Gresty Road having had a watching brief of late following his three consecutive starts last month.

Dominic Samuel reacted to Nuttall’s rise to the first-team from the Under-23s with a matchwinning contribution against Bristol Rovers on November 21 as well as a brace in the first game against Crewe which earned him a starting spot at Peterborough on Saturday.

Danny Graham has too played his part in the winning run and could be paired alongside Nuttall this evening as Rovers look to book their spot in round three.

“I think it’s healthy. I think the emergence of Joe Nuttall has been good for the group because I think he’s made Samuel, Graham and (Marcus) Antonsson up their own game really and recognise that there’s a young pup just right behind them and ready to take their places,” Mowbray said.

“That’s what football has to be, competition over your shoulder and never resting on your laurels.

“If you can get that in all positions it would be healthy for the club.”

Rovers have been among the goals of late, their trio at Peterborough last weekend taking their tally to 19 in their last six outings. Four players are tied on eight goals in all competitions, with Bradley Dack and Charlie Mulgrew having joined Antonsson and Samuel on that number.

While happy to let the squad battle it out to become top scorer, Mowbray knows Rovers will need to find the back of the net with regularity if they are to achieve their promotion aim.

He added: “I said earlier in the season you’ve got to score a minimum of maybe 80 goals if you’re going to get promoted out of this league.

“When you look at your squad at the start of the season you think ‘where are those goals coming from?’, a centre forward has got to get 25 of them and then you start counting down how many the midfield players might get and can a centre half chip in with a few headers, whatever it might be, full-backs getting the odd one. You try to add up where the goals might come from to get the points required.

“At this moment if we can keep going along at this rate that target of somewhere near 80 goals is going to be achievable for us.

“Let’s just keep going. Let’s not get carried away. Let’s keep our feet on the ground, keep working hard and take the next game as it comes and just stay really focused on the job in hand.”

Nuttall and Graham could start as a front two this evening while a number of fringe players look set to be involved. Paul Caddis, Elliott Ward and Scott Wharton all started the first game and could be drafted in should Mowbray want to hand a rest to some of his senior players ahead of Saturday’s game with Charlton Athletic.

Willem Tomlinson will also keen for a starting berth having impressed as a substitute at Peterborough.