JAKE Young insists no place is guaranteed despite his current City goal rush.

The striker has bagged three in the last two games to keep his place going into tomorrow’s mouth-watering clash at Mansfield.

But he knows there can be no let-up with the fierce competition for starting spots.

Lee Angol was left out of the squad against Walsall with Mark Hughes spoilt for choice in his squad.

Young said: “That’s the case when you’ve got good quality and ability in the squad. You’ve got to be prepared for it.

“But you’ve got to make sure that when you’re playing and training, you’re doing everything you can to make sure it’s not you left out next week.

“If it is you, then you make sure it doesn’t become a pattern and you get yourself back in there.

“The competition will just push everyone along and keep us all improving.”

Young, who struck last week’s winner after his double in the Papa Johns Trophy win over Sheffield Wednesday, is eager to take his chance this season after a bit-part role in Forest Green’s promotion behind prolific duo Jamille Matt and Matty Stevens.

“I’ve shown in spells what I can do so far this season, so hopefully I can continue that and get the game time and the opportunities,” he added.

“Last season was tough. You had the skipper who was flying and the top scorer in the league but ultimately, we got what we wanted and hopefully it’s the same this year.

“Everyone is striving towards the same goal. We’re all going to play a part - and obviously my aim is to play as big a part as possible.

“I need to take those opportunities when I get them.”

Young knows the pressure to get promoted is far higher at Valley Parade than with last season’s champions Forest Green.

“We knew we had a good squad and had the potential to do something. But it was a club that had never been to League One so there probably wasn’t as much expectation.

“Bradford are definitely a team that shouldn’t be at this level when you look at the history and the fanbase. But dealing with that is what makes good players and taking the club back to where they should be.

“If you can’t deal with that pressure and expectation, then maybe it’s not the right place.”

Mansfield, last season’s beaten play-off finalists, will provide an early benchmark for City’s ambitions. The Stags currently boast a perfect home record.

Young said: “We’re not going to big it up in our heads. There are three points there like every week and we want to go and take those.

“They are a good side and just missed out on promotion last year. It will be a challenge and a good marker to see where we’re at.

“But we’ll take it the same as every game - we just want to go and win, simple as that.”

Young is already up to four goals - three behind top scorer Andy Cook - and none have been scored from inside the box.

“I’ve got a few good ones so far but I need some more like Cooky, little six-yarders,” he laughed. “I don’t mind as long as they go in.”

Hughes believes Young is producing a more consistent level of form after an up-and-down start to the season.

He said: "The goals help in terms of his confidence and he's been really effective coming in from the left-hand side.

"We like the way that he's positive and when he gets into his stride he's very difficult to knock off the ball."