CHRIS Withington faces a race against the clock to be fit for the next step on Worcester City's Wembley trail.

The all-action midfielder misses tomorrow's Midland Football League Premier Division showdown at home to Heather St John's (Saturday, 3pm) with an ankle injury sustained at Coventry United last weekend.

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Full-back Luke English is also unavailable but will return in time for Tuesday's league trip to Tividale.

But manager Ashley Vincent confirmed Withington would be the subject of ongoing assessment with his prognosis unclear ahead of the FA Vase fifth-round tie at Atherstone Town eight days from now.

"He has had it X-rayed and scanned," said Vincent.

"There is no break but there is quite a lump there and we have to assess that to see what the soft tissue damage is before putting a timescale on it."

Asked if it would rule Withington out of the Vase tie, Vincent replied: "I am not 100 per cent sure but we hope to know a bit more after the weekend."

Centre-half Joe Hawkins bolsters City's options against a Heather side that has beaten Vincent's men twice this season.

And on the back of a sluggish showing at Coventry United last weekend, the boss is keen to see a response against another of the title chasers.

"We built a 19-man squad knowing there would be injuries and illnesses along the way," added Vincent.

"We will put out a team we know is more than capable of competing and for me it is more about attitude than personnel.

"Whoever is selected in the 16 will be trying to get together and put right some things from last weekend.

"I don't want to go too overboard because we have been really good lately but I thought we were off it at Coventry and they have to get back to what they had produced for the past couple of months, that's what I am looking for."

On Heather, Vincent said: "They have a style that works for them and have been very successful.

"Fair play to them, they have stuck with the same personnel and play a certain way which has got them results.

"You cannot knock that. Football is a results game, it is about winning and they have done that quite a bit this season.

"We expect much of the same but we are a different team with different personnel now.

"I am hoping last week's result and performance gave the boys a bit of a kick up the backside and that they will be looking to do themselves justice in the game.

"We know what to expect, I am pretty sure they think they know what to expect so it will be a good test for both teams."