IPSWICH Town hitman Darren Bent declared today: "When the first goal comes the floodgates may open."The 19-year-old England Under-21 international striker, who hit 18 goals last season, has been firing blanks along with fellow members of the Town front line, but he insisted: "We've been making chances and the goals will come.

By Dave Allard

IPSWICH Town hitman Darren Bent declared today: "When the first goal comes the floodgates may open."

The 19-year-old England Under-21 international striker, who hit 18 goals last season, has been firing blanks along with fellow members of the Town front line, but he insisted: "We've been making chances and the goals will come. We know it will happen and we've just got to keep working away hard at it in that belief.

"I could have had several goals this season. The chances have been there, but in this situation you have to keep your chin up and your sights firmly set."

Town go into tomorrow's home league game with Coventry at Portman Road not only looking for a first league win, but also a first league goal from open play.

They drew 1-1 on the opening day at home to Reading when a Tommy Miller bagged an equaliser from a late penalty.

Last Saturday Town lost to Crewe 1-0 after a second half of many goalscoring opportunities.

The only goal from open play this term was from 17-year-old substitute Dean Bowditch in the Carling Cup first round 1-0 home win over Kidderminster.

Fellow teenager Bent, an unused substitute for the England Under-21 team that lost 3-0 to Croatia at West Ham in midweek, continued: "I know my goals will come and so do other members of the team. The chances have been there and that's the main thing. Eventually the goals will follow."

Boss Royle, a former England striker, has hinted that he might give the England youth cap Bowditch a first league start against Gary McAllister's Sky Blues from the East Midlands.

"I'm looking at one or two things, we'll see, but I certainly haven't lost faith in my strikers after just two league games," said the Portman Road chief.

There are no injury problems ahead of the game against a Coventry side that are set to unleash summer striker signing Andy Morrell up front after a calf strain.

Morrell hit 34 goals for Wrexham last season.

A 25,000 plus crowd is expected at Portman Road tomorrow for an attractive fixture between clubs that used to be Premiership rivals.

THE SQUADS

IPSWICH: Davis, Wilnis, Makin, Santos, Diallo, Naylor, Richards, Miller, Wright, Magilton, Reuser, D Bent, Counago, M Bent, Bowditch, Westlake, Price.

COVENTRY: Shearer, Whing, Konsic, Staunton, Warnock, Barrett, Safre, McAllister, Doyle, Adebole, Suffo, Morrell, Jorgensen, Davenport, McSheffrey, Pead, Mansouri