WORCESTER City manager John Barton hopes his players will thrive on a white-hot atmosphere at Tamworth tomorrow.

Barton acknowledges that tomorrow's opponents are one of the toughest in the Dr Martens League Premier Division.

It will be even more difficult in front of a passionate home support at the Lamb Ground.

But Barton, who had a spell as assistant manager at Tamworth in the early 1990s, believes City will be able to cope with both the crowd and their opponents on the field.

He said: "The ground has its own atmosphere whatever time of the season you go. I expect it to be probably twice as intense for the first game.

"But that is something for our lads to get their teeth into. While it is a very tough opening day fixture, no doubt about that, it is also a good fixture in that we shouldn't have any problems lifting the players to go out and perform.

"It is down to the players on the park to be better than the players they are playing against and to get their jobs done efficiently.

"I think it has the potential to be a very good opening day fixture and a well-attended one."

Tamworth, who completed a league 'double' over City last season, finished sixth and were one of the division's top scorers, most of their goals coming from former City striker Mark Hallam.

Barton added: "I thought, without seriously threatening the title race, that they had an excellent season last year.

"They were a side packed with goals and played some excellent football, and I see them being one of the sides to beat again this year.

"They did the double over us last year and that in itself is enough motivation to correct that with a favourable result tomorrow."

Barton believes there won't be any hangovers left over from the corresponding fixture last year.

It was an ill-tempered New Year affair which saw midfielder Andy Ellis break his leg and City, who led 2-1 with 10 minutes left courtesy of goals from Mark Tucker and Steve Lutz, stage a late collapse to go down 4-2.

"What happened last year with Andy is still there for us to be disappointed over, but it is finished now and needs to be put to rest."

Ellis, who has not played since, will watch tomorrow's game from the stands as will striker Micky Cotter, who joined City from Tamworth in the summer but has yet to play because of injury.

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

n Nationwide Conference football returns to Worcester after a 15-year absence tomorrow, when Telford United play the first of six 'home' games at St George's Lane against Hayes (3pm).

The Shropshire side will be at St George's Lane until the end of September while major work is completed on their Bucks Head ground.