Battle for cup spots good: Mowbray

Tony Mowbray" class="imageframe imgalignright" height="130" src="http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/1soccer-coca-col.thumbnail.jpg" width="175"/>Albion manager Tony Mowbray believes the battle for FA Cup places can spur his side on to back-to-back pre-Wembley Championship victories.

The Baggies boss says excitement over the last-four clash with Portsmouth has already raised the bar in training for his players.

And he reckons competition for the right to start against Pompey will aid his side's promotion challenge as they face Colchester tomorrow and Cardiff on Tuesday."I think there is a benefit to having such an important game," said Mowbray.

"I can see their intensity in training. The fact that James Morrison and Chris Brunt are fit and Leon Barnett is within touching distance of being fit so quickly after being injured suggests that everyone wants to be involved.

"Everybody knows that this game is just around the corner and you can sense in training that everyone wants to play because they want to give themselves an opportunity of being involved at Wembley.

"There are only positives at the moment from that game being on the horizon because they know they've got to perform in the games beforehand."

Transfer deadline day passed yesterday without Mowbray adding to his squad.

That meant Polish striker Bartosz Slusarksi's transfer to Sheffield Wednesday for the remainder of the season was the only piece of business affecting The Hawthorns on the final afternoon of loan moves.