TOMMY Rowe hopes to have his shooting boots on again at Colchester tonight.

The 20-year-old midfielder became Stockport's leading goalscorer with the winner at Carlisle on Saturday.

"I've always liked scoring goals," said Rowe, who has now netted seven times this season - one more than the six he managed in the last campaign.

"I scored a few last season but I made it my target to score more in a higher division and I think I'm doing well at the moment.

"I missed one early on at Carlisle and I was just hoping I would get another chance and put it away. I scuffed it with a header and controlled it and poked it in.

"I've had days like that before when you get in areas to score, but it just doesn't go right for you, but at Carlisle I got one and should have scored a few really.

"All the lads will be ready for Colchester.

"Hopefully we'll get another win, but we're just going to put 100 per cent effort in and be professional."

Victory at the Colchester Community Stadium could put County into the play-off places, which would be some achievement by Jim Gannon's side.

The players have produced back-to-back wins while the club has struggled under the financial pressures, which forced the sale of Anthony Pilkington and Jim McNulty last month. But Rowe believes he knows how County have rebuilt their play-off push in the face of such odds.

"I think it's because we're working hard as a team and getting our principles in order really - just to play well and work hard as a team," he added.

"It was a brilliant performance at Carlisle all the way through the team really.

"Fitness is majorly important especially on a big open pitch like it was at Carlisle

"All through the team I felt everyone was fit enough to get about to the last minute."

Rowe expects to have a rival in the scoring charts when loan striker Chris O'Grady breaks his duck. O'Grady, who is on loan from Oldham Athletic until the end of the season, has been denied by the woodwork on at least three occasions in the three games he has started for County.

"He's got a big physical presence and he's also a good finisher as he's shown in training," added Rowe.

"It's good to have him up there because you can play off him at all times.

"The gaffer said to Chris to keep going and he'd get his goal eventually."

Gannon said he won't rush Johnny Mullins into playing tonight if the defender still has problems from the hamstring strain he picked up at Brunton Park.

Club skipper Michael Raynes could be back to lead the side after missing the last three games with a muscle strain.