NEW Tranmere goalkeeper Russ Howarth may get a sooner than expected chance to hook-up with some former City colleagues tonight.

City's youth team are in action at Prenton Park when they take on Rovers in the second round of the FA Youth Cup, kick-off 7pm

Tranmere have won all four of their North West Conference league outings this season, scoring 20 goals and conceding just four.

However, there is a strict age limit on the competition which could deny Rovers a number of their more experienced third-year trainees from competing.

The rule means defender Stuart Wise and goalkeeper Mark Hampshire are ineligible for City tonight.

Head of youth development Paul Stancliffe and his assistant, Brian Neaves, have called up five members of the club's under-16 squad for the trip to the Wirral.

City youth team (from): Stockdale, Anderson, Ashcroft, Arthur, Baynes, Stewart, Law, Davies, McKenzie, Coad, Yalcin, McCabe, Reid, Webster, Lyons, Haw, Kamara.

Updated: 12:41 Wednesday, November 06, 2002