TOM Cowan will be fighting to resurrect his Burnley career when he makes his comeback in the reserves against Tranmere tonight.

The 30-year-old defender admits to feeling frustrated at his lack of first team opportunities this season.

But the former Huddersfield full back is not about to kick up a fuss and just wants the chance to prove to Burnley boss Stan Ternent he is still worthy of a first team shirt.

"This season hasn't gone too well from a personal point of view because I can't buy a game at the moment," said Cowan.

"I'm very, very disappointed that I haven't really featured so far, but then that's not my decision to make.

"But I'll just keep working hard and being professional and, hopefully, I can show the manager that I'm the man for the position."

Cowan was something of a hero after he and Paul Cook arrived at the back end of last season to play a crucial part in keeping the Clarets in the Nationwide Second Division.

That form earned him a permanent deal in the summer and he looked set for a big role during the current campaign.

But after figuring in six of Burnley's first seven matches this season, he hasn't appeared in the first team since the 1-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers on August 30 as Ternent has opted for Paul Smith instead at left full-back. Cowan's luck was compounded two weeks ago when he damaged a hamstring in a reserve team outing at Rotherham.

And while he's been confined to the treatment table the first team have continued to flourish, drawing with Millwall before beating both Cambridge and Bristol City in the last 11 days. Cowan is not bitter, though, and hopes to force his way back into the reckoning as quickly as possible, starting with an impressive return to action against Tranmere.

"I'm going to play in the reserves tonight and, if it stands up to that, then hopefully I can declare myself fit," said Cowan.

"I'll go and play my normal game and, if it's good enough, then hopefully I'll be back in.

"But you can't knock what the other lads have done. Team-wise, the season has gone absolutely superbly.

"I don't think anyone at the end of last season would have thought we'd be in the top six at this stage.

"They were all probably hoping it, but realistically they wouldn't be thinking it.

"We are certainly promotion candidates now - or we'll push them all the way, anyway."

The Clarets will field a strong reserve side packed with first teamers for tonight's clash against Tranmere at Turf Moor.

Chris Brass, Paul Weller, Mark Robertson, Gordon Armstrong, Micky Mellon, Graham Branch and Ronnie Jepson are all expected to be included to emphasis the depth of Stan Ternent's first team pool.

And with Sunday's FA Cup first round clash with Barnet looming large on the horizon, the fierce competition for places is starting to hot up.

Burnley will choose from: Mawson, Robertson, Cowan, Mellon, Brass, Armstrong, Weller, Jepson, Lee, Shandran, Branch, Williamson, Paxton, Devenney, Kelly and Bowden.

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