WORCESTER City begin their FA Cup run this weekend when they host newly-promoted Midland Football League Premier side Dudley Town to Claines Lane on Saturday in the Extra-Preliminary round.
City have not progressed past the first stage of the prestigious competition since 2020 and lost to neighbors Malvern Town in the same round last season.
Chris Cornes' side have been handed a favourable draw this year, a home tie against Dudley Town, who were promoted into the MFL Premier after winning the MFL Division One title last season.
But Cornes is wary of the threat Dudley pose, and he has every right to be. Saturday's visitors won 32 of their 40 league matches in the 2022/23 campaign, racking up 100 points and scoring 101 goals in the process.
"It will be a very, very tough game," said Cornes. "Dudley are a brilliant side. I am good mates with their manager Matty (Lovatt) so I know he will have them set up right and they will be very well-drilled.
"He will have watched us once or twice as well so they will be working hard in training to find ways to counteract the way we play and what we are going to do.
"But we will just go about our game as usual in front of a big crowd and hopefully we can go on a bit of a run in the FA Cup."
City will be hoping for better a better result than they had on Tuesday in the frustrating 0-0 draw with Tuffley Rovers in the opening game of the Hellenic League Premier.
Worcester dominated the game and had numerous chances, but could not convert and were held by a side who just about avoided relegation from Step 5 last year.
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But Cornes was still encouraged with what he saw despite not getting the win.
"I think we were all frustrated that we didn't get the win but I thought it was a very complete performance from us," he added. "We just didn't manage to stick the ball in the back of the net, it was very one-sided.
"They had obviously come for the draw and credit to them, they did that job. They put bodies on the line, played five at the back at times and of course they found way to also run the clock down and that is something we are going to have to get used to this season.
"We just have to be better in that final third and take our chances."
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