WORCESTER City manager John Barton says tomorrow's visitors Stafford Rangers will be as tough a test as they could have faced this early in the season.

Stafford are still riding on the tide of euphoria that followed their title triumph in the Dr Martens League Western Division last season.

And City know only too well the danger of facing newly-promoted sides early in the season, having suffered opening-day home defeats against Grantham Town and Margate in the last two Premier Division campaigns.

Barton said: "When you play promoted sides early in the season, then you meet them with the full force of the newness of it all to the opposition.

"I watched Moor Green, who came up with Stafford, draw with Newport on Tuesday night and I was quite impressed with them as well.

Confidence

"Promoted clubs haven't had too many things knocked out of them at this stage in a higher standard of football, and they will still have the confidence from last year."

Barton has been unable to watch Stafford in the flesh so far this season, but has had scouting reports for both their opening games, a 2-1 home defeat against Crawley Town and a 1-0 victory at Halesowen Town.

Stafford, an established Conference club for many years and who had many ding-dong battles with City, suffered successive relegations in the mid-1990s.

Only now are they beginning to stir again under the management of former Stoke City player Ian Painter, who was an interested spectator at City's goalless draw with Bath City on Monday night.

Barton said: "They are a very similar club to Worcester in that they have slipped from the standards they should be competing at.

"But they climbed the first rung of the ladder back with promotion last year, and I don't think they will be looking at too many seasons of consolidation at this level. They feel sure they belong in the top flight."

A large travelling support, coupled with City's encouraging start to the season, should ensure another four-figure crowd at St George's Lane tomorrow.

Barton added: "Let's hope we can continue to get people through the turnstiles and put something on that will encourage them to come again."

City's new defender Andy Bradley was a key member of Stafford's title-winning side last season before moving to St George's Lane in the summer, and he will be out to impress against his former club.

Worcester (from): McDonnell, Hayward, Bradley, Jukes, Tucker, Heeley, Weir, Carty, M. Wyatt, Cottrill, Owen, Lutz, Reed, Joyce, Hyde, Deakin, Jefferson, Scheppel.