Mark Bower is happy to be bullied by the older members of the defenders' union.

The 21-year-old local lad has been an instant success since being thrown in at the deep end to cover for Andy Myers' hamstring injury.

Four games later, he is quite rightly being touted for a new contract in the summer.

But Bower is keen to deflect the praise towards the more senior guys at the back. And he has urged the likes of David Wetherall, Gunnar Halle and Wayne Jacobs to keep pushing him around at Watford tomorrow.

Bower said: "It's great playing with such experienced players because they make sure you are in the right positions.

"They talk to you a lot more and pull you about, which can stop you from making a mistake by being out of position.

"Then if you win the ball, it makes you look good but a lot of it is down to their experience and their help."

Boss Nicky Law, who has no new injury worries following Saturday's crucial win over Crewe, said: "I think Mark Bower has been magnificent.

"I said to him to go in there and keep the shirt and before each game I tell him to do again what made him so successful in the last one.

"He's kept in the team by doing that and I want to get to the situation when Andy Myers is back fit that Mark is playing so well that I don't take him out.

"If Mark continues as he has been playing, then I wouldn't be able to justify

taking him out of the team."

Bower is preparing for another busy time at Vicarage Road, where City were thrashed 4-1 in the Worthington Cup in October.

The centre-half said: "They've got a lot of big-name players and on their day can be the best team in the division. We've got to go out there and expect them to play as well as that.

"But we're going there unbeaten in three games and can take a lot of confidence from that.

"With only five games to go, you'd like to think that 50 points will be enough. But there are teams capable of winning down there; Grimsby have put a little run together and Walsall have been doing it now and again.

"One more win will definitely do it but I'd like to think the way we are playing now, that we could look to carry that form through to the end of the season."