BRISTOL City striker David Clarkson is determined to make the most of the unexpected opportunity that has come his way.

Sidelined by injury, fellow forwards Danny Haynes and Nicky Maynard are engaged in an increasingly desperate race to be fit in time for the start of the npower Championship season, which begins 15 days from now.

City open their campaign with a home game against newly-promoted Millwall and Scottish raider Clarkson, pictured, having played second fiddle to Haynes and Maynard for much of last season, is a prime candidate to lead the attack.

Time is fast running out for Haynes and Maynard, who have yet to feature in any of City's four pre-season games so far and are not expected to resume training until next week at the earliest.

Without Haynes and Maynard, last season's 21-goal top scorer, City manager Steve Coppell has precious few attacking options and may be forced into the transfer market to bolster a squad which has been hit hard by injury.

In their absence, Clarkson has done his level best to press his own claims for a place in the starting line-up, scoring twice against Swedish minnows Vallens and helping himself to a third goal in the 2-1 midweek defeat at Torquay United.

"It's up to me to make an impression, especially as the other two lads are out injured at the moment," said Clarkson. "It's unfortunate for Danny and Nicky and, hopefully, they will be back soon.

"But this is definitely an opportunity for me and all I can do is my best. I know I have to keep playing well, keep scoring goals and then see what happens.

"It's not up to me to select the side and it's out of my hands to a degree. What I can do, is perform as well as I can in the upcoming games and force my way into the gaffer's thinking while the other boys are injured.

"All strikers like to net that first goal and get themselves up and running and, fortunately, I've managed to do that. I've scored three goals now and, from my point of view, it is a good thing."

Signed from Scottish Premier League Motherwell a year ago, Clarkson endured a frustrating first season in the English second tier, losing his place in the side to illness and struggling to re-establish himself thereafter.

Forced to play second fiddle to Haynes and Maynard, the Scot insists he has put those difficult times behind him and now feels ready to do himself justice in England.

"That was last year and I've put it behind me," said the Scottish international. "I'm looking to the future now and I'm feeling fit and I'm feeling sharp."

Clarkson demonstrated the predatory instincts of a born goal poacher to open the scoring at Plainmoor on Wednesday evening, yet admitted: "That was not the best goal I've ever scored. Their keeper should have saved it, but I'll take anything that comes along and, sometimes, the worst ones are the best ones."

He added: "There is always a heavy workload in pre-season, but I'm feeling the benefit of it and I'm enjoying it. I'm looking forward to every game and I just want to get out there and show what I can do, whether I'm in the starting line-up or on the bench and coming on in the second half."

Clarkson is likely to be given another opportunity to push his case when City take on League Two Aldershot at the Recreation Ground tomorrow (3pm).

Although manager Coppell is not overly concerned by results during pre-season, Clarkson claims he and his team-mates are determined to improve upon a record of just one win in four warm-up games so far.

He said: "We're still a work in progress and it's probably more important that the lads gel rather than win games right now. That said, we all want to put in a decent performance if we can.

"I thought we played some good stuff at times against Torquay, created plenty of chances and could have won the game.

"Results are not the be all and end all at this time of year, but the opening game against Millwall is only a couple of weeks away and a victory at Aldershot would do us all the world of good."