MANAGER Carl Heeley says Worcester City are brimming with confidence as they head to Solihull Moors looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

The Blue and Whites got the Christmas schedule off to the perfect start with last Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Harrogate Town and they are aiming for more cheer at Damson Park on Boxing Day (3pm).

Although the Moors are enjoying a fine season, and are second in the table following the 2-0 weekend win at Barrow, Worcester make the short trip up the M42 in good spirits.

Heeley said: “We’re familiar with Solihull, we’ve played them many times.

“They are having a great season and they’re a big, strong, well-organised side.

“It’s going to be tough but we’ve beaten probably the best side we’ve played in Harrogate so we go there full of confidence.”

The match will also see Worcester go up against former players Rob Elvins, Matt Birley and Michael Taylor, who all joined Marcus Bignot’s squad in the summer.

Defensive midfielder Elvins has been made captain and midfielder Birley has been in the team of late but chances have been limited for striker Taylor. However, Heeley says their presence in the festive fixture will have no bearing on the way his side approach the match.

The City manager explained: “You always want to do well against your old clubs but the three who went there, for very different reasons, don’t have anything to prove to me or Worcester City.

“They were great servants to the club and we were sorry to see them go but they are Solihull players now and we respect that.”

Heeley added: “We just want to try and win, nobody tries harder because we’ve got some ex-players playing against us, it’s Solihull Moors and we want to try and beat them.

“We’ll give them a good game and hopefully we can pick up some points.”

City captain Graham Hutchison is expected to miss both the Solihull match and Saturday’s home derby clash against Gloucester (3pm) with the ankle injury that forced him to sit out against Harrogate.

Worcester could go with the same defensive line-up but Shabir Khan’s hernia issue might mean a recall for Tyler Weir at left-back and Matt Regan restored to centre-half alongside Richard Munday.

Heeley said: “I don’t think Graham’s going to be out for too long but I think Boxing Day and next Saturday may come a little bit too early for him.”