TOWN are hitting new levels of fitness as they prepare to fill the one remaining gap in Peter Jackson's win column.
Since he returned as manager 16 months ago, Jackson has won matches in every competition with just one exception - the FA Cup.
Town will find out at 5pm today who they face in the first round in a fortnight, when they will be aiming to make up for last season's exit at the hands of Accrington Stanley.
If Jackson should need any encouragement for the biggest knockout competition of them all, then he's finding it in the latest set of stamina tests on his squad.
He explained: "We do a `bleep test' where players have to run 20m sections getting faster all the time, and the results are exceptional.
"Our best player (Anthony Lloyd) is registering 16.3 and our average is 14.5, which is absolutely excellent.
"We've only got a couple of lads still registering below the 14 mark, so it shows we are tremendously fit as a squad and we are really set up well for the rest of the season."
The multi-stage fitness test is scientifically monitored and the progressive shuttle runs enable physios like Town's Lee Martin to register the maximum oxygen uptake of individual players - quite simply how quickly they tire.
While Jackson - on League duty at Bloomfield Road today - is looking no further than Tuesday's LDV Vans Trophy second round trip to Blackpool, the FA Cup is fast going to be on the agenda.
Jackson plans to have the opposition watched next weekend and, quite naturally, hopes the first round draw brings Town (ball No19) home advantage on November 13.
"A tie at the Galpharm would be nice, but we have to take what comes and just set out our stall to put the record straight from last year," said Jackson.
