The 25-year-old England international scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season at Blackburn on Monday as the Black Cats received a further return on the £10million they paid Tottenham for his services during the summer.

Bruce fielded a much-changed side at Ewood Park with injuries and suspensions robbing him of 10 first-team players, and there are few signs of that selection headache abating for Saturday's third round clash with the Blue Square Premier side.

However, the manager was so impressed with his under-studies at Blackburn that he has hinted he will name the same XI again, and that will mean Bent gets his wish to play in a game for which he might otherwise have been rested.

The striker has been a revelation since emerging from his misery at White Hart Lane, and Bruce has been delighted with the impact he has made.

He said: "Darren has done fantastically. For me, he should have 14 Premier League goals - the one they took from him was ridiculous when I see the ones they give to him.

"To have 13, 14 goals in the Premier League is a fantastic return from him, and he has been a breath of fresh air, I have to tell you, since he walked through the door.

"He wants to be here, he wants to play here, he wants to play every week, and he has been terrific, the kid.

"We just need now to come to the party with him. We can't keep just relying on Darren Bent scoring a goal.

"We need to start keeping a clean sheet to help him, we need a few midfield players to score a goal. However, he has been fantastic."

Of the walking wounded only Steed Malbranque has a chance of returning from a thigh strain against Barrow, and even he is unlikely to be risked as Bruce attempts to launch a cup run against a team which will be backed by 7,200 travelling supporters.

However, keeper Craig Gordon was today stepping up his comeback from a broken arm after being given the go-ahead by his specialist, and he could be ready to play in a fortnight's time.

For that reason, speculation linking Bruce with a transfer window move for Coventry's Keiren Westwood is wide of the mark, as are reports of his interest in full-back Danny Simpson, currently on loan at Newcastle from Manchester United.

However, there is little doubt that his main focus will be in both full-back positions with Phil Bardsley and George McCartney currently the only senior specialists on the books.

Wigan's Maynor Figueroa and Tottenham's Alan Hutton are in his sights, but Bruce, who was celebrating his 49th birthday today (Thurs) is adamant he will not be held to ransom in his pursuit of his January targets.

He said: "I am just going to try to dampen down expectations there if I can. The one thing I won't do is panic, I don't think we need to panic.

"We must get decent value for money and in January, prices are inflated. People don't want to lose their better players.

"Of course, there are one or two out there who are running out of contract and clubs are in a position where they might have to sell, like me last year, for instance, with [Emile] Heskey.

"Do we take £3.5million at the end of January. Thankfully, we thought we were safe then at Wigan, but you still didn't want to lose him.

"But you have to, you have to make sure that you get the money in.

"There are one or two or three or four in that situation, but we will see."