STEVE Cowe is hoping it's third time lucky when he visits Blackpool's Bloomfield Road ground today (3pm) with his Newport County teammates.

The 27-year-old striker looks favourite to start up-front with Welsh semi-professional international Garry Shephard for the Exiles in their monumental first round clash with the Seasiders this afternoon as Martin Paul failed a late fitness test due to a hamstring problem.

Cowe has played at Bloomfield Road twice before with former club Swindon Town - and ironically current Blackpool boss Steve McMahon was his manager for the West Country club - and never scored.

Cowe, a former Aston Villa trainee, said he would love to get one over on his previous mentor. The forward added that he has great respect for McMahon - and the former England and Liverpool midfielder was the reason why he joined Swindon for £100,000 in 1996.

"I just hope I'm chosen," said Cowe who also had a trial at Blackpool in the summer before joining County.

. "It will be great playing against McMahon, he's a good manager and great motivator. "I am confident that I can get one over on him, that's if I play of course.

"I've played at Bloomfield Road twice before with Swindon and have never scored - but hopefully it's third time lucky today."

There is a slight possibility that young Raith Plant might start with Shephard but County boss Tim Harris will probably go with experience rather than youth.

Plant, 18, was a surprise inclusion by Harris in Newport's third qualifying round game at Andover and the youth academy product bagged a brace, helping the Exiles to a 4-0 win. The County team arrived at their plush four-star hotel on the outskirts of Blackpool yesterday afternoon to a welcoming committee of hotel staff.

But the hotel must have been expecting a different team as they had Newport Pagnell Football Club on the check-in forms.

The team trained last night and everyone was passed fit.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife about the future of Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod, who has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, as Southampton have put in a faxed £1 million bid while Wigan have given the Tangerines a verbal offer of £1.5 million. If the clubs are serious about getting the striker before he becomes cup-tied they will have to act quick . Blackpool have added striker John Murphy and club captain and centre-back Ian Hughes to their squad but Brain Reid is missing.

Newport County squad : P Mountain, D Robison, S Benton, B Clark, J Eckhardt, M Rose, J Perry, S James, D Ryan, S Walker, G Shephard, S Cowe, R Plant, R Souter, A Thomas, N Davies l Mr David Hando would ike to point out that he is not a director of the club. l For full reports, reaction and pictures from the big match see Monday's Argus

* PICTURE: Jason Perry boards the team coach to Blackpool