THE sweat and toil of a Coca-Cola League Two basement battle could be tempered by the sweet success of an FA Cup giant-killing tonight.

That is certainly the wish of Kidderminster Harriers caretaker boss Shaun Cunnington who takes his bottom-of-the-table outfit to mid-table League One side Port Vale.

Claiming the first round scalp of Vale would provide a valuable financial boost for Harriers and give Cunnington a lift in his bid to win the job permanently.

Cunnington needs a result after two home defeats in a row without scoring which included last Saturday's embarrassing second-half 4-0 collapse to Boston United.

But the former Grimsby and West Brom midfielder is not prepared to wallow in misery and has concentrated on making great strides to seemingly improve the Harriers team.

Ex-Wolves and Walsall midfielder Tom Bennett, signed until the end of the season, fell out of favour in recent weeks at Boston United and his experience of nearly 400 league games should be vital to Harriers tonight.

And new loan 'keeper Ryan Clarke, captured today for a month from Bristol Rovers, is set to make his debut too.

Other temporary players, full-back Shaun Cooper and strikers James Keene and Darryn Stamp, are available to play.

Highly-rated Clarke has played six games for Rovers and one at Southend in a loan spell.

Cunnington declared: "Everybody is expecting us to get beaten at Port Vale but we all know the FA Cup always brings out a surprise result somewhere down the line and hopefully it will be us.

"A release from the league will mean there's no pressure on the players. They've all been prepared to listen and learn in training this week.

"It's about getting their confidence back and with Tom Bennett coming in it will give us stability.

"We've done our homework and watched the opposition. They have some good players and are a league above us. We need to be more compact as a team. But I'm very optimistic we can go there and get a result."

Meanwhile, Falkirk-born Bennett admitted: "I'm disappointed I won't be involved with Boston but I am looking forward to a new venture at Kidderminster.

"They may be bottom of the league but they have a good squad and I hope to help lift them up in the table."

Vale, unable to play loan signing James O'Connor from Aston Villa, also have an injury doubt over midfielder Robin Hulbert but defender Michael Walsh returns after suspension.

Following two 3-0 defeats, Martin Foyle's men have gone four games unbeaten on home turf without conceding.