YEAR on year, Worcester City tend to face tricky little itineraries around Christmas and New Year.

Once again, it is no different this season. And what's more, Father Christmas has presented Worcester with a more daunting schedule than ever before.

Before and after January 1, City must contend with three consecutive Nationwide North fixtures on the bounce.

On Tuesday, December 20, they travel to fierce local rivals Redditch United for a re-arranged game.

Six days later, on Boxing Day, Andy Preece's side head to high-fliers Stafford Rangers, before making their first ever trip to Hyde United on New Year's Eve.

After welcoming in 2006, Worcester journey to Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday, January 10, followed by successive Saturday fixtures at Hinckley United and Gainsborough Trinity.

All in all, that is six away league matches in the space of 33 days.

Sandwiched in between that lot is Stafford's return on January 2 and Paul Gascoigne's St George's Lane entrance as Kettering Town visit on January 7.

Worcester have played just 13 league games this season, the lowest in the division, and their FA Cup success is partly responsible for the fixture back-log.

It is a small price City must pay for their cup heroics, but such a strenuous schedule may come back to bite them.