A HOST of first-team regulars are to line-up for Worcester City's reserves in tonight's Central Conference Cup fixture at AFC Telford United (7.30).

City manager John Barton has taken the step as part of his preparations for Boxing Day's Nationwide North clash against Nuneaton Borough at St George's Lane.

Last Saturday's league fixture at Lancaster City was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and Barton insists his players are short of match practice going into the crunch game.

He confessed that tonight's starting line-up at Telford's Bucks Head Stadium is likely to be the same side that took to the field in City's last game with Runcorn FC Halton on December 11.

Worcester also travel to Nuneaton on New Years Day and Barton is eager to establish the best possible groundwork to record back-to-back victories against their Midlands rivals.

Barton said: "We have been short of games and we just feel it's right to give the players a run-out before the game on Boxing Day. It will be beneficial for them after missing out on Saturday.

"We've got an important couple of weeks coming up and so we have to prepare ourselves in the best possible way. We would not have done this had the Lancaster game not been called off."

Barton admits it would be the perfect start to 2005 if City could seal six points over their two games with Nuneaton, while also boosting his side's chances of promotion.

He added: "The game on Boxing Day is a big one for us and one that we desperately want to win. It would set us up nicely for the New Year if we could take three points from it.

"We are hoping to win both games if we possibly can. It would be great for us if we did going into the second-half of the season with games in hand."