ASSISTANT manager Ashley Vincent reckons Worcester City will be a “better side” if they can get midfield maestro Mat Birley fit.

Birley is hoping to overcome a troublesome foot issue to feature in Sunday’s home battle with Desborough Town in the second round of the FA Vase (3pm).

Vincent felt City missed the 32-year-old’s “quality” and “composure” in last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Sporting Khalsa in Midland League Premier Division.

And he said he would give Birley, who is also on City’s coaching staff, “every opportunity” to win his fitness battle before selecting his side to take on Desborough.

“We are hoping to get him back because he is a big player for us and makes us tick in midfield,” Vincent said.

“His foot has been troubling him for a while and he got another whack on it in the game against Ilkeston.

“It had swollen up and was too sore for him to get his boot on so we are waiting for that to go down.

“Birls is experienced enough to tell us when he is ready.”

Birley, who is a former Birmingham City youngster, has scored two goals in 11 appearances for Worcester this season.

“At this level you don’t often get quality like Mat so if we can have him fit then it will make us a better side,” Vincent continued.

“We would have liked to have passed the ball a bit more (against Khalsa) and that’s something you get with Birls.

“He has got that experience and composure so when it is in the heat of the battle he is able to still find the right moment to get his foot on the ball and play those key passes that we probably missed last Saturday.”

Vincent expects to be without left-sided player Jamie Smith this weekend after he suffered a blow to his ribs in City’s clash with Khalsa.

But the injury was not as bad as first feared with Vincent admitting Smith “escaped lightly” from the collision.

“When somebody goes down and stays down it is always worrying,” Vincent said.

“I don’t think there was anything overly malicious in the challenge.

“It was a bit of a 50-50 where their boy has got there late.

“But after the game he expressed his regret and said he hoped Jamie was alright.

“We heard quite early on after the game that Jamie was OK and there was no fracture.

“Because of his symptoms at the time they wanted him to go to hospital and have his ribs X-rayed.

“Fractured ribs can puncture a lung so they wanted to rule all those things out which they did and in the end his ribs were severely bruised.”

On his hopes of Smith facing Desborough, Vincent added: “We will keep an eye on him in training and give him as long as possible to declare himself fit.

“It maybe a little bit too sore for this weekend but we will give him every chance.”