Yates desperate for FA Trophy run

Creighton will miss the tie with a hamstring injury

Kidderminster Harriers manager Mark Yates is desperate for an FA Trophy win in Saturday's third round tie against York City at Aggborough.

Yates said his young side deserve some success for this season's efforts.

"I desperately want to get to Wembley," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester. "Obviously it would be good for the club financially and that is important.

"But, for this group of players, the experience of getting to Wembley would do them a fantastic amount of good."

Yates says his belief in his players is tempered by his respect for Saturday's opponents at this last 16 stage.

York have been buoyed up since the appointment of Martin Foyle back in late November. And Yates admits: "Whatever they come and throw at us, we have just go to deal with it," he said.

"If it means we have to be patient and wait until the 89th minute, then so be it.

"We've just got to keep doing what we did the other night against Histon.

"That's getting the ball down and playing, working extremely hard while making sure the door is shut at the back."

Harriers will again be without Russ Penn and skipper Mark Creighton, both of whom are injured.

Creighton picked up a hamstring strain in training on Monday that led to his missing Tuesday's 2-0 home win over Histon, while Penn was stretchered off at Barrow with a knee injury.

Penn is likely to be out of the squad for up to six weeks, but he is just grateful the injury was not as serious as he had first feared.

"I've torn a bit of my ligament and bruised the cruciate," he said. "But it's good news, really.

"There are a lot of games in February and I might well miss eight to 10 games.

"Hopefully I can get back and have a good six weeks at the end of the season."

We're really looking forward to Saturday because we know, without putting major pressure on ourselves, this is a great chance to go to Wembley

Mark Yates

While he will have to make do without two of his senior players, Mark Yates is confident his squad can make it through to the last eight.

"We're really looking forward to Saturday because we know, without putting major pressure on ourselves, this is a great chance to go to Wembley," he said.

"What a chance to play on a pitch like that in a great stadium in front of a good crowd.

"There's no better incentive than that."

BBC Hereford and Worcester will have live commentary on the game online at bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester (from 1455 GMT).