DEFENDER Sam Oji has urged his Worcester City team-mates not to get “overwhelmed by the occasion” when they host rivals Kidderminster Harriers on Boxing Day (3pm).

About 2,000 supporters are set to flock to Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground to see Worcester lock horns with Harriers in a competition outside the Worcestershire FA Senior Cup for the first time in six years.

Oji said all the players were desperate to be involved in the Vanarama National League North clash, which he described as a “one-off”.

However, with Harriers flying high in second place, the 31-year-old insisted they could not afford to let the enormity of the fixture get the better of them.

“Obviously it’s a big game and everyone wants to play in it,” Oji said.

“But at the same time we don’t want to get overwhelmed by the occasion.

“It’s another game so we will go in there with a plan and try to execute it because on our day we are more than a match for any team in the division.”

Worcester are in 14th place, four points above the relegation zone, with one win in their last four league games.

Harriers, meanwhile, are on a six-match winning streak in all competitions but Oji is adamant past form will have no bearing on the contest.

“A derby is a one-off game,” said the experienced centre-back, whose side lost 1-0 to Harriers in the FA Trophy third round at their former St George’s Lane home in 2010.

“I think form goes out of the window to an extent and it is almost like a cup tie.

“So it is a case of keeping our heads and sticking to our game-plan.”

Oji put in a series of man-of-the-match performances before suffering a quad injury in Worcester’s 3-0 defeat at Salford City last month.

But the former Doncaster Rovers, Bristol Rovers and Leyton Orient player came off the bench last Saturday as City claimed a 1-1 draw at Gainsborough Trinity.

He said: “The injury was disappointing at the time because for the couple of months prior to that I had been performing at the levels I expect from myself.

“But I am happy to be back and hopefully I did enough on Saturday to put myself in the frame for a start against Harriers.”

After picking up a knee injury, Tom Sharpe made way for Oji who played the final 38 minutes in a 3-4-3 formation.

“It is a hard formation to play,” Oji added.

“You have got to be well drilled and work hard but what I think I have got above the others is I am a little more vocal so I came on and was maybe able to organise it more.

“The boys beside me, Hutch (Graham Hutchison) and Jordan Keane, both played well and it worked well for us, especially when we were in the ascendancy as it allowed us to push on.”