WORCESTER City boss John Barton has vowed to punish managerless Ashton United at St George's Lane tomorrow, despite a 'flu crisis sweeping through his ranks.

The club has been at the centre of a bug scare all week with at least six players going down with the illness, along with the manager himself.

Colin Hoyle, Barry Woolley, Pat Lyons and Jai Stanley have been laid low after contracting the virus, along with the injured Christian Moore and Liam McDonald, and are doubts for the Nationwide North clash with the Robins.

Midfielder Lyons and defender Hoyle were too poorly for City's 2-0 loss at Nuneaton Borough on New Year's Day.

The latter was also absent from the travelling party that headed to Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday, a fixture called off less than three hours before kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Woolley and Stanley were expected to figure at the Horsfall Stadium had the game gone ahead, but both were allowed to skip training yesterday evening to rest at home.

Barton is hopeful the key quartet take enough medicine and shake off the 'flu to help bring about the downfall of the struggling Greater Manchester outfit.

He said: "The virus has been going around a number of players and once it got a grip of us, it has spread like wildfire. It's frustrating for us but, at the end of the day, what will be will be.

"We will have to make a decision on the players before the game. Their fitness may be affected but only a little bit. When you put yourself under the cosh for the first time after illness, the match situation soon gets hold of you."

Barton's troops will be desperate for revenge against Ashton after losing their meeting at Hurst Cross on September 18 in controversial fashion.

Although Worcester served up one of their worst performances of the season, they were denied a clear penalty before half-time when United's captain Danny White blatantly handled on his own goal-line.

City eventually went down 1-0, losing their unbeaten league record in the process, and it prompted further defeats against Worksop, Harrogate and Cambridge City.

Ashton conquered Tameside rivals Droylsden 1-0 last Saturday but are otherwise in a dreadful mess after losing nine and drawing three of their past 12 games which has left them in the relegation zone.

The Robins' misery was compounded with the loss of top-scorer Josh Mitten to Altrincham and resignation of manager Gerry Quinn last month.

Andy Johnson is expected to take charge as caretaker manager before a new boss is installed next week.

Barton said: "Ashton have their problems but that is their business. They will pose us the same problems we encountered at their place. They have recently enjoyed a win against Droylsden and we know how hard that is."