WORCESTER City are back on the FA Cup trail tomorrow (3pm) with joint manager Matt Gardiner hoping a ‘professional’ approach will pay dividends.

The Blue and Whites make the 450-mile round-trip to National League side Gateshead for their fourth qualifying round clash with a chance to lock horns with a Football League side the lucrative prize at stake.

But they are due to head north tonight, allowing them a full day to prepare on Tyneside.

Gardiner said: “It’s nothing new for us. We have a bit of a routine in place when we have a long way to go, although we also travelled to Coventry the night before ahead of the cup match last year.

“We like to do things properly whenever we can and we’re grateful to the board for allowing us to do that. It makes so much difference and helps to get the lads settled ahead of the game.

“We all know what’s at stake but we will go into the game just like any other match. We will concentrate on our own game, do our own jobs properly and see where that takes us.

“Gateshead are doing well in the league above and are scoring goals so we go there as underdogs and with no pressure on our shoulders.”

City reached the second round proper of the FA Cup last season, famously beating Coventry City 2-1 at the Ricoh Arena before losing to Scunthorpe United in a replay on penalties after drawing away at the League One side.

And the fact that so many of the current Worcester squad were also involved in last season’s cup run will be a huge positive, according to Gardiner.

He said: “We have a number of the lads who have been in situations like this before and know how to handle it.

"In addition, we also have some experienced lads who have come into the side and played at Gateshead before. It’s an unusual ground as it has a running track around it.”

Sean Geddes, one of last season’s cup heroes, is available despite picking up his second red card of the season at home to Nuneaton on Sunday. But leading scorer Lee Hughes misses the second game of his four-match ban.

And there has been some good news on the injury front with two players returning to training this week in time.

Young full-back Jamie Smith missed the 1-0 Nuneaton defeat last Sunday through injury but is back in the squad together with experienced midfielder Danny Jackman, who has recovered from a virus.

The versatile Tyler Weir is a major doubt though with his foot injury not expected to recover in time but on-loan West Brom keeper Ethan Ross is expected to be on the bench.

If the game is drawn, the Aggborough replay will be on Monday night at 7.45pm.