THREE Worcester City players go into two games in the space of 48 hours walking the suspension tightrope.

Adam Burley, Graham Ward and Abderrahman Traore are all one booking away from picking up their fifth yellow card of the season and an automatic one-match ban.

City travel to Worcestershire rivals Redditch United this afternoon before entertaining Kettering Town on New Year's Day.

The St George's Lane club had expected Burley to be banned for the FA Trophy second round clash against Burton Albion on January 13 after believing his caution at Kettering on Boxing Day to be his fifth.

However, the two yellow cards dished out to the left wing-back at Vauxhall Motors in September do not count in the statistics because he was ultimately shown red.

But the news is not quite so good for right-wing back Ward after the Irishman was booked in both the Barrow and Kettering matches.

Although they are his first yellows for City, his name was taken twice while playing for Tamworth and were carried over when he signed for Worcester last month.

French forward Traore has been on four yellow cards since being booked late on against Scarborough in November.

George Clegg and Chris Smith have already served suspenions for yellow cards.