FORMER Atherton Collieries ace Anthony Pilkington is winning his race to be involved at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow.

The Darwen-born striker, who cut his teeth as a teenager at Alder House before moving his way up the Football League pyramid, has been struggling with a back problem that kept him out of last week’s 1-0 defeat at West Brom.

But the 23-year-old is expected to return in time to figure in Paul Lambert’s squad as the Canaries go in search of their first top-flight away victory since December 1994.

Pilkington moved from the North West Counties League after scoring 18 goals in 35 games for Colls, including a memorable hat-trick against FC United at Gigg Lane.

He signed for Stockport County before moving on to Huddersfield Town, where, despite breaking his leg in March, he played well enough to secure a £2million summer move to Carrow Road.

Pilkington won’t be the only face in the Norwich line-up familiar to local football fans, with former Bury winger Elliott Bennett also among the young squad assembled by Lambert this summer.

Bennett was snapped up for £1.5m from Brighton, just two years after arriving as an untested teenager at Gigg Lane.

The 22-year-old spent two seasons on loan with the Shakers from Wolves before moving into League One with the Seagulls.

Norwich have fitness problems at the heart of their defence, with three regular starters all currently sidelined.

Zak Whitbread (hamstring), Elliott Ward and Daniel Ayala (both knee) are ruled out, with Leon Barnett and Ritchie De Laet the only recognised centre-halves left to choose from.

Goalkeeper John Ruddy should return from suspension, replacing Declan Rudd, while James Vaughan is also a doubt after suffering a facial injury at the Hawthorns last week in a controversial clash with Gabriel Tamas.

The defeat against West Brom marked the first time Norwich had lost back-to-back games since Lambert took over in August 2009.