JUBILANT Worcester City manager Carl Heeley insists his team will revel in their underdog status against Coventry City in the FA Cup and will be out to cause an upset.

The Aggborough outfit are riding the crest of a wave after being drawn against the 1987 winners in the first round proper.

City will visit the Ricoh Arena the weekend after next, although the exact date has not been confirmed as the tie could be selected for television coverage.

Sixty-five places separate the Sky Blues, who are 17th in League One, from the Vanarama Conference North play-off chasers but Heeley believes that will only spur them on further.

He said: “It’s a brilliant draw for us. You want a winnable tie or a plum draw and that’s what we’ve got.

“I am sure it will be great for everyone associated with the club. It’s a reward for the dark days we have gone through as well.

“As much as we are delighted and looking forward to it, we have got to come up with a plan to cause an upset because that’s what we are going to try to do.

“We are the minnows now and we know what it’s like to be in the dressing room expected to beat a team from much lower down. The roles are reversed now but we will raise our game and you never know in the cup.

“It’s hard to say how it’s going to be, nobody will give us a chance but that’s the way we like it.

“Coventry will fancy their chances, I know that with the characters they have.

“There’s also experience in our team and we have got experience in the management team too. When you have got those attributes we can go there and thrive on it and that’s brilliant.”

City will also be aiming to cash in on the tie, which is likely to be worth in excess of £50,000 from a 50-50 share of gate receipts alone, not to mention £18,000 should they triumph. The Sky Blues have been averaging around 9,000 for home games this season.

Heeley said: “The finance is important to a club like Worcester and many other lower league clubs.

“I have always said I want the players to focus on the football and the exposure that brings because they have an opportunity to write their names in the history books and get national exposure. They all want success.”

He added: “It will be nice for the community of Worcester and people who don’t normally come week in week out to come and support us because they might enjoy it and start to come more regularly.”

Before the Coventry clash, however, City visit Leamington in the league on Saturday, the team they beat in the third qualifying round earlier this month.