RICHARD Cresswell was once viewed as one of the brightest young striking prospects in the country and this season he has started to show why.

The former York, Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester player was an England Under-21 star under Peter Taylor, who signed him when he was Leicester boss.

It was from the Foxes that David Moyes signed him after he impressed on loan and in his first full season at Deepdale he netted 13 times in 40 games.

He was on target again at Portsmouth on Tuesday night, scoring his seventh goal of the season, and he will be desperately hoping that the Burnley defence is as generous as it was to Grimsby on the same night.

Much may depend on whether Ian Cox will be fit to face North End. He has been a key figure for the Clarets and was expected to be fit for the game at Blundell Park but did not even make the bench.

With the North End game swiftly followed by the visit of Spurs in the Worthington Cup, it is important that he does come back fit and well.

His partnership with Arthur Gnohere has looked very solid and the Frenchman could certainly do with a friendly face alongside him after his grim night.

Cox was powerless to do anything at Grimsby - stopping Cresswell will be his job tomorrow.