WORCESTER City can close to within three points of top spot in the Dr Martens League Premier Division if they can beat Merthyr Tydfil at St George's Lane tonight (7.45).

City's 1-0 win over Tamworth on Saturday -- their fourth successive victory in all competitions -- has lifted them into fifth place in the table.

Another win tonight will take them up to fourth and within striking distance of top dogs Crawley Town.

But manager John Barton is not getting carried away, merely saying: "We have another opportunity tonight to try and pick some points up and improve our position."

He was delighted with the result against Tamworth, saying: "We should take a lot of confidence into the game after Saturday.

"We should probably have won it more convincingly but I thought we deserved the result.

"There were performances and contributions all over the field and I thought we defended outstandingly well."

Tonight's game gives City a chance to avenge a 4-1 defeat at Merthyr back in August and Barton recalled: "That was probably the poorest display since I have been at the club.

"They went out of the FA Cup against our future opponents Hampton last week, but they bounced back with an excellent victory at Cambridge on Saturday with a clean sheet. It will be an interesting game."

He is also anxious to ensure that players' minds are not straying towards Saturday's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Hampton and Richmond Borough. "We won't be looking at that until after the match."

Five players are nursing minor niggles from the Tamworth game but Barton is hopeful they will all be fit.

One of them is midfielder Paul Carty, who was sent off for two bookable offences and will now miss the FA Trophy clash with Mangotsfield at St George's Lane on November 4.

The others are fellow midfielders Ian Cottrill and Steve Lutz, striker Micky Cotter and defender Nathan Jukes.

Barton also hopes that defender Martin Weir may have shaken off his knee injury in time for Saturday, although he won't be fit for tonight.

Worcester (from): McDonnell, Greenman, Jukes, Tucker, Heeley, Carty, Lutz, Cottrill, Owen, Cotter, Reed, M. Wyatt, Bradley, Tranter, Hyde, Scheppel.