ROBERT Earnshaw is fighting a fitness battle in his attempt to go head-to-head with fellow Championship hot-shot Grzegorz Rasiak at St Mary's.

The Welsh international and Rasiak both had 13 league goals going into last weekend's round of matches.

But, while Rasiak netted again in Saints' shocking 2-1 loss at rock bottom Southend, Earnshaw, below, was ruled out of Norwich's home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.

The former West Brom striker - who scored twice at St Mary's for the Baggies on his only appearance at the stadium in November 2004 - failed a fitness test on the ankle injury he suffered in training the day before.

It was only the second league game Earnshaw had missed all season, and in the first one Norwich had been battered 5-0 at Stoke.

For full story see today's Echo.