SAM PARKIN and Rushden's Onandi Lowe have caused untold misery for defenders over the last two seasons and for that they can blame Andy King.

The Town boss, who has hinted his Boxing Day line-up at Nene Park may differ slightly from the side that won at Brentford, is looking to Parkin to win the battle of the strikers.

King was responsible for bringing the Diamonds' hit man to England from America and getting him fixed up with a Football League club.

After his old side Luton failed to snap up the striker, Rushden boss Brian Talbot took a gamble which has paid off handsomely.

He said: "Brian asked about him, gave him a chance and the rest is history.

"Brian, like me, is a bit argumentative and we've talked about strikers since then.

"I think I've got the best strikers in the league and he argues that he has.

"Let's hope Sam Parkin, Tommy Mooney, Rory Fallon or whoever plays proves me right."

King admits he hasn't had the chance to watch Lowe in action recently but thanks to Peterborough boss Barry Fry, he will at least have the opportunity to study the striker's performance in Rushden's 3-1 defeat at Peterborough on Saturday courtesy of the match video.

He joked: "That's my Christmas Day viewing sorted.

"Lowe's a good player but he's at a club which has brought in other good players. They've people like Rodney Jack, Paul Kitson and Trevor Benjamin.

"I also remember watching the lad Andy Burgess for Sunderland about five years ago.

"They have a chairman there who's put money into the club and seen the rewards as they've risen up from the non-league."

King's only major worry ahead of the trip to Rushden is Matty Heywood.

The defender, who suffered a bang on the head and a sprained ankle at Brentford, didn't train yesterday and King was anxious for him to get some work under his belt this morning to provide an indication as to his availability for the Rushden trip.

If Heywood is ruled out then Alan Reeves, who replaced his defensive colleague at half-time on Saturday, is expected to make the starting line-up at Nene Park.

King said: "There may be an enforced change and there may be another change. We'll see."

Whatever the line-up, King is anxious to get a positive result ahead of successive home games against Brighton and Hove Albion and Bournemouth respectively.

He said: "It's a match we are certainly capable of winning but a result at Rushden and success in our two home games puts us right back in the pack."

As the Evening Advertiser went to press Town had sold 670 tickets in advance of the Boxing Day clash at Rushden.

Around 700 tickets will be available for Town supporters on the day of the game.