BOSS Ashley Vincent reckons City’s gritty 1-0 win at Tividale could prove the perfect dress rehearsal for Saturday’s FA Vase showdown.

It means Worcester head into the last-16 tie at Atherstone Town (3pm) on the back of a hard-fought victory having failed to hit recent heights in league defeats at Coventry United and against Heather St John’s.

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And with the chance to go within two rounds of a Wembley final looming large, Vincent argued the muck-and-bullets success at The Beeches was just what the doctor ordered.

“It was a fantastic audition,” said Vincent.

“Firstly there were a couple of changes and they (those coming in) did themselves justice and secondly I don’t think Saturday’s game will be too dissimilar.

“I don’t think the pitch is great (at Atherstone), they will be just as workmanlike as Tividale and that’s a compliment – both sides graft for everything they get.

“We knew this would be the same game as (the MFL Cup tie) a couple of weeks ago, it was not easy for either side to play out there.

“It was about two sides going at it hammer and tongs, wearing each other down physically, but as I have had said all season I know the quality I have and that I will get a moment more often than not and we got it with the goal.

“I am pleased with the boys, it has been a tough week to 10 days but they put their heads up and chests out and had a right good go to get the result they deserved.

“It was a good way to get over the past week or so, it has been difficult for everyone and now we have to look forward to Saturday.

“We have to make sure we are prepared, that we recover correctly and pick the right team and system to have a right good go.”

One of Vincent’s four changes from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Heather was enforced at the 11th hour with keeper Dan Jezeph feeling under the weather and Gabriel Bajrami stepping in for only his second league start.

“I thought Gabs was fantastic,” Vincent added.

“He did really well in the first game here and looked really calm and composed this time, he did everything he had to and made the one save he had to.

“We said ahead of the first game at Tividale, the boys in front of him owed him a performance because they had left him open and to the wolves a little bit in his other games (Malvern Town in the Worcestershire Senior Cup, Coventry Sphinx in the league).

“He proved what a good goalkeeper he is for such a young man and these two matches would have done him the world of good.

“Hopefully he can get a few more games under his belt, grow from here and make himself a good goalkeeper.”