Match Preview

City's biggest game so far this season lies in wait on Saturday afternoon as Chris Cornes' side host Northern Counties East Premier Division side Emley AFC in the Quarter Final of the FA Vase, a SOLD OUT tie at Claines Lane.

After an eleven day rest since the club's last fixture, after the postponements to the Pershore Town away and Worcester Raiders home matches, City should be well rested and prepared ahead of one of the biggest games in the club's recent history, a sell-out occasion at Claines Lane.

Worcester's opponents on Saturday, Emley, currently sit top of their league table, six points ahead of their nearest rivals Campion with two games in hand, in somewhat of a similar position to Cornes' side. The Huddersfield outfit were most recently in action on Tuesday night when they beat Garforth Town 2-1, with top scorer Ruben Jerome getting both goals, taking his tally to 34 for the season. Alongside Jerome, James Walshaw also occupies third place in the league top scorers charts on 27, as both seem to be guiding Emley to promotion from Step 5.

So far in this season's Vase campaign, Emley have seen off Guisborough Town, Heaton Stannington, West Didsbury & Chorlton, Charnock and Whickham to make it to the Quarter Final stage for the first time since 1988, a year in which they reached the final at Wembley but lost

After the busy recent schedule the few extra days rest will have no doubt done Cornes' side some good, having not played since last Tuesday's 1-0 cup victory over Westfields, the same side they'd beaten 4-1 just a few days earlier. Kirk Layton will be a sad loss to Cornes' side, having seen his final match ban following the Longlevens victory stretched across the last few weeks and unluckily not be taken up by either league fixture from the past week. It's expected that Chris Knight will partner Elliott Keightley in the back four, after his debut in the last round victory over Stourport Swifts.

Cornes' side have been boosted in the last few games by the returns of Connor Gater and Calvin Dinsley to the side following injury, with Dylan Hart also coming back to full fitness earlier in February.

Cornes' side are also still level with the club's 47 year consecutive wins record of fourteen, having seen the last two matches postponed, and
it would be a fitting way to secure a new club record if City were to make it to their first FA Vase Semi Final with a win on Saturday.

THIS GAME IS SOLD OUT. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY FOR THOSE ATTENDING TO AVOID LENGTHY QUEUES AT THE TURNSTILES.

For this game we have THREE car parks available:

ON SITE AT THE GROUND: Cost is £5, available in advance only and is now SOLD OUT. Anyone parking in the lanes surrounding the ground will be refused entry.
RGS THE GRANGE, Grange Lane, Worcester, WR3 7SS. Cost is £2 payable in cash at the car park entrance.
and THE RIVER SCHOOL, School Lane, Worcester WR3 7ST. Cost is £3 payable in cash at the car park entrance.

Full matchday information is available here.