Mark Jackson is looking forward to the challenge of playing Sky Bet League Two opposition on Tuesday evening, when his young Whites side face Tranmere Rovers. 

The Papa John’s Trophy fixture takes place at Prenton Park (7pm) and is the first match in the competition for either side this season. 

“It's going to be another proper game of football,” Jackson said, ahead of the match. 

“We'll be looking forward to it. The boys like playing and the games keep coming thick and fast now but it's football and you like to play, so that's what they're here for. 

“We've got to prepare the lads for it, it’ll be a tough ask again. It's another challenge for the boys and like I always say, it's good to have different challenges.”

Stepping away from league action, Jackson is looking forward to the test of the competition as a whole, putting down a marker for his side to achieve. 

He said: “We'll be ready for it.

"We want to compete and we want to go one step further in the competition this year and try to qualify from the group stages. 

“That's our aim as a group of players and as a club. That's what we want to do.  

“We'll go give it a good go and hopefully we can give a good performance.”