Tim Harris, Newport County manager, feels his side have displayed enough good form in cup competitions to prove they are a better side than their lowly position in the Dr. Martens League suggests.

Harris said: "I believe we are in a false position for the talent we have got. "We have shown in games this season we are good enough to be up there with the best. "The reality is that if we can put a string of results together, picking up six to eight points, we can be in mid-table and then we can assess our position."

County make the relatively short trip to Worcester this afternoon for a Premier Division clash. "Never an easy place to win," remarked Harris but the last three games between the two sides at St George's Lane have resulted in an amazing 23 goals.

Both teams have their injury worries. County skipper Darren Robison was carried off in the FA Trophy win at Walton and Hersham, they are still without experienced Jason Perry, ankle injury, while Steve Benton is a flu victim, Garry Shephard another ankle sufferer, Martin Paul suffered a knock in the Walton win but is expected to be all right and Matt Rose returns after a one-match ban.

Worcester suffered a massive blow when the free-scoring Mark Owen suffered an horrific injury in a FA Cup tie with St. Blazey. He was floored by a clearance and in the fall he broke a leg in two places and a dislocated ankle.

He had scored 17 goals in 15 matches, including three hat-tricks.

But they have made a triple swoop with three players making their debuts. They have signed midfield player Leon Jackson from Western Division side Bilston and two players have arrived on loan - central defender Mark Blount from Burton Albion who are top of the UniBond League and Stewart Hadley from Kidderminster.

Hadley is likely to play up front with veteran Phil Stant, the former Cardiff City front runner. Stant is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, but is expected to be fit and so, too, is midfield player Jon Holloway, ankle injury.

Robison suffered last-gasp heartache in the FA Trophy win over Walton and Hersham on Thursday night.

Defender Robison was carried off with right knee ligament damage with County leading 3-2. He explained: "I just nicked the ball off this guy and he just came through me." The full extent of the damage will be assessed in a couple of days when the swelling goes down. Robison added: "There could be cartilage damage as well but it looks as if I'll be out a few weeks."

That doesn't suit Robison who admits he is one of the worst when it comes to watching. "I've even played when I shouldn't, missing games does me no good at all," he said. County's victory at Walton has earned them another suburban London trip, this time to Hampton and Richmond who are in the Premier Division, a flight above Walton but the equivalent section to Newport in the pyramid system.

Robison said: "We made hard work of our win but it was thoroughly deserved. It was not our best performance but it was 'job done.' Because the game had been off twice it's almost as if we were not prepared for it to be on."

Harris said: "To say it was close probably doesn't reflect the opportunities we had and should have been 4-0 up inside the first 30 minutes."

Harris, strongly linked with the vacant managerial post at rivals Merthyr Tydfil - reported in yesterday's Argus - had very little to say. "I cannot do anything about speculation," he said.