JUNIOR MENDES will be back to his goalscoring best for the FA Cup clash with Stockport.
That's the view of fired-up manager Peter Jackson, who is struggling for frontline power with Akpo Sodje out and Andy Booth and John McAliskey still to prove their fitness.
"I was just a little bit disappointed with Junior against Brentford," admitted Jackson, who revealed that keeper Ian Gray has undergone a groin operation.
"Junior looked a bit jaded and a bit tired after his trip off with Montserrat and the games he played.
"But I've no doubt he'll be back to his best this weekend and determined to resume the great goalscoring form he was showing previously."
Mendes, who scored in the first round last year, has six goals in seven matches for Town, who will bag £16,000 for a win and a place in Sunday's 3pm second-round draw.
While Gray will be out for another few weeks, Jackson is eager for loan man Paul Rachubka to mark his FA Cup debut with a clean sheet.
"If we'd kept the clean sheets we wanted this season we would be top of the League, no doubt," said Jackson.
"I've no fears whatsoever with our goalscoring ability and, if we can take care of things defensively, then we'll be in for another great season.
"The FA Cup is special and we are fired up to do well."
Town will have physio Lee Martin radio-linked to kit man Andy Brook on the bench to speed up information about injured players.
The sytem had a successful trial last week and will operate at Edgeley Park, where top striker Luke Beckett was poised to sign for Hull today.
