WORCESTER City are hoping to use success in the FA Umbro Trophy to act as a launchpad for improving their league standing.

City kick-off this season's Trophy quest against Mangotsfield United in the first round at St George's Lane on Saturday, with memories of last season's run still fresh when they reached the last 16.

But they won't be taking anything for granted, and the main priority will be trying to banish any memories of last weekend's FA Cup disaster at Hampton and Richmond Borough and turn in a much-improved performance.

To go out of both major FA competitions in successive weeks would be a major blow to morale as well as the club's finances, and could put the knockers on any hopes of getting into the Dr Martens League Premier Division title race.

Manager John Barton and his backroom team will be doing their best to make sure that doesn't happen.

However, memories of last season's Trophy run - their best for 18 years - when they won at Nationwide Conference side Hayes before bowing out 4-1 at Telford United in the fifth round, are sure to act as an incentive to the players on Saturday, as it did last year when they ultimately won their battle against relegation.

Barton said: "I think we stayed up on the back of our Trophy performances last year. We took a lot from those games and took them into our league performances.

"With the Trophy, it is always nice to see if you can get into the rounds that come in the middle of January. People still have that to look forward to and it carries your season on.

"But it is a game at a time for us. We certainly have to deal better with it this Saturday than we did last Saturday, and if we don't, we will go the same way."

But there's no doubt that Mangotsfield will provide a stiff test for City, who won't be able to afford any more horror shows like at Hampton.

The Dr Martens Western Division newcomers, from Bristol, are currently second in the table and only suffered their first defeat of the season when they went down 4-0 at Gravesend in the Cup on Saturday.

Barton added: "You play anybody who is at the top of their league, whether it is a lower division or not, and it will be a formidable test.

"Confidence will be high as a result of being where they are in their league.

"It will be tough again, but hopefully we have had some benefit of putting the same people back in the firing line against Halesowen the other night after Saturday."

The last time the two sides met was in the FA Cup two seasons ago, when City won 1-0 away in a game remembered more for the horrific facial injuries suffered by City defender Carl Heeley.

If Saturday's game is drawn, the replay will be at Mangotsfield's Cossham Street ground next Tuesday, November 7 (7.45).

City travel to Nuneaton Borough in the Central Conference tonight (7.45) with Paul Wyatt, Andy Bradley, Jamie Hyde, Chris Jefferson and Danny Scheppel - who were all on the substitutes' bench for the Worcestershire Senior Cup win over Halesowen - in the starting line-up.

Defender Martin Weir and striker Carl Tranter are both likely to have their fitness tested at training tomorrow to see if they will be fit for Saturday. Midfielder Paul Carty misses out through suspension.