Chris Cornes will be able to call upon defender and captain Aaron Roberts when Worcester City head to Lichfield City on Monday for their first game of 2023.

The skipper has been serving out a suspension following his red card at Romulus back at the start of November.

Postponements has meant he has been unable to sit out of those matches until the new year but will make his long awaited return to action at Lichfield.

Cornes also has midfielder Billy Shaw to call on as well after his suspension and should have wing backs Dan Okojie and George Baker back in the squad following their respective illness and injury issues.

The returnees should provide a much needed boost to City and boss Cornes, who has lost both of his games as manager so far.

Worcester have endured a turbulent season to date and currently sit 18th in the Midland Football League Premier, out of the relegation zone on goal difference alone.

They are in dire need of wins but it would be fair to say that Cornes is yet to fully get stuck into his role since being appointed in November.

Postponements due to the freezing conditions have meant Cornes and his new signings have not had the time to gel in a competitive manner.

Cornes admits it's been frustrating but is confident his side have the ability to pull themselves out of the mess they are in.

"It’s incredibly frustrating (lack of games) for us," Cornes said in the aftermath of the 2-1 defeat to Lye Town on Tuesday.

"You can’t replicate match moments, we won’t get the same from a training session as we would a matchday so it’s difficult for us really.

"I think we saw a few players getting leggy today as the game went on, some lads featuring who have struggled with injuries for the past 6-7 weeks. I think what disappointed me the most was that some lads looked tired in the early stages of the second half but near the end of the game they found a second wind and pushed on.

"I think if we had a longer run of games together as a unit then we may be further along our cycle as a team, there are still a few tweaks we want to make as well as adding new faces, I don’t believe we’re that far off from where we want to be."

But it'll be a tough challenge once more today, playing against a Lichfield side who are very much still in the hunt for promotion.

Despite being down in ninth, they are only nine points off second placed Shifnal Town in what is a very congested top-half of the MFL Premier division.

The Worcester News will have live updates from the clash, as well as reaction from the manager.