ANTHONY Stokes is fit again and ready to hand Blackburn Rovers boss Owen Coyle a fresh striker selection headache.

But Stokes knows he faces a fight to get into the side that starts against Ipswich Town on Saturday week given the form of his fellow forwards.

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The Republic of Ireland international scored three goals in two games following his summer arrival at Ewood Park.

But, after losing his place in the starting line-up to new signing Sam Gallagher, Stokes sustained a knee injury on the eve of the 1-1 draw at QPR last month.

The 28-year-old has now returned to full training and he upped his match sharpness with another outing for the club’s under-23 team on Tuesday.

Although Stokes was unable to stop the young guns from going down to a Checkatrade Trophy defeat at Carlisle United he proved to the watching Coyle he is now in line for a first-team return.

But since his absence Gallagher and Graham have been in the goals while Marvin Emnes has made a flying start to his Rovers career after joining on loan from Swansea City.

And Stokes, speaking after the Carlisle clash, said: “I was happy enough with my performance but I think I can definitely improve the fitness and the sharpness.

“But considering I’ve been out for the last three or four weeks I don’t think it was too bad.

“When you’re out you can train all you want but you get real sharpness and fitness from playing 90 minutes.

“You can do all the training you want, all the fitness you want, and run until you’re on your knees, but I just don’t feel it’s the same.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the under-23s, the reserves, or whatever it is, it is good to play games.

“I’ve a bit to go yet but luckily enough it’s international break and I’ll have plenty of time to work hard this week and try and up my fitness again.

“I want to be back in the team for the next game – but it’s not as easy as that!

“The boys have been doing well since I’ve been out. It seems the last three weeks the boys up front have been scoring left, right and centre.”

Stokes was also in goalscoring form before jarring his knee in training the day before the trip to Loftus Road.

He said: “I didn’t think there was much to it. I got it scanned straight away at the training ground and there was fluid on it. It was an annoying one, for it to happen on a Friday before the game.

“But that’s football. I’ve been lucky enough throughout my career that I’ve not had too many major injuries so I’m not going to complain about a few weeks.”

Stokes has featured in two of Rovers Under-23s’ last three matches and he admits he wanted to play in last Friday’s Premier League Cup victory over Burnley.

The former Celtic frontman has been impressed by Damien Johnson’s side and feels they were unfortunate to lose to Carlisle.

Stokes, who praised his 19-year-old strike-partner Lewis Mansell, said: “For large spells of the game we dominated but maybe a lapse in concentration here and there, tracking a runner, small little things like that, cost us.

“But it’s the development team. I said to the other boys, they’re a great bunch of lads, they’re very professional, they give everything, and they’re fully committed.

“It was a tough game. Carlisle have been in a great run of form and they are seasoned players they are playing against. These are young boys we have in the development squad.

“But I think it was a good overall performance with a lot of positives to take from the game.”