ANDY Cook has been given only one goal target from his boss: Just keep scoring.

The prolific City striker has taken his overall tally to 15 for the season with successive strikes in the wins at Mansfield and Sutton.

He is up to 12 in League Two - just one behind Northampton’s Sam Hoskins, who misses out on a potential shoot-out between the division’s deadliest duo at Valley Parade today because of suspension.

Cook had been limited to one goal in his previous five outings before the away-day double header.

And Mark Hughes is delighted to see him once more carrying on where he left off.

The City chief said: “He may have a number of games where people will maybe question his overall contribution. But he does a lot for the team in terms of his work-rate and giving us a focal point.

“But his goals are varied and different and almost always important.

“He’s having an exceptional start to the season, has done really well and there’s no reason why he can’t have a significant number at the end of the year if he continues in the same vein.”

Not that Hughes has a specific target in mind for Cook to chase.

“I haven’t, though I’m not sure if Andy does it himself. He may well have a figure in his mind that he keeps to himself.

“I don’t think he’s broadcast the number of goals he thinks he can get. But the potential is there for him to get a big number this year.

“He worked exceptionally hard in the summer and came back with the attitude that he’s going to make sure he was first pick. He’s reaping the benefit of that.

“He had to work hard to obviously get in the team initially. But since he’s been in, he’s carried on scoring, so I’m really pleased with what he’s produced.”

But Hughes is looking for more support from those around Cook.

Jake Young, who is currently out of the squad, is City’s second top scorer with four while Scott Banks and Tyreik Wright are on three.

Hughes added: “You need somebody knocking in goals regularly but we hope that we can get a few more contributing.

“The wide guys are starting to have that impact, the likes of Tyreik and Banksy have scored three goals each. We’re starting to impact opposition teams from different areas.

“That needs to continue because we can’t totally rely on Andy scoring week in, week out - although that seems to be what he’s capable of at the moment.”