Hereford United have a trio of key fitness worries for tonight's LDV Vans Trophy first round tie with Yeovil Town at Edgar Street (7.45).

Both first-choice central defenders, Tony James and Ian Wright, are struggling with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.

Striker Steve Piearce, who scored after coming on as substitute in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Morecambe, has also picked up a hamstring problem. None of them were able to train yesterday.

Director of Football Graham Turner will leave his final selection as late as possible, with James Wall and Matt Gardiner standing by to fill the defensive slots.

Although disappointed that United, one of eight Nationwide Conference sides invited into the competition this season, failed to draw a Football League side, Turner still expects a rip-roaring contest against the runaway Conference leaders, now managed by former Bulls boss Colin Addison who took over from David Webb earlier in the season.

The sides drew 2-2 at Edgar Street back in October, but Yeovil could well be distracted by their televised FA Cup tie at Blackpool coming up this weekend.

Turner said: "We have not beaten them since we dropped into the Conference, but I thought it was a really good advert for the Confer-ence when we played them here.

"Yeovil have got themselves involved on a number of fronts, and I don't know what their reaction to the FA Cup tie will be.

"All I know is that I don't think we defended very well on Saturday, and I want a good response to the challenge thrown down to the players tonight."

Hereford (from): Cooksey, Lane, Sturgess, Robinson, Wright, James, Gardiner, Wall, Clarke, Snape, Elmes, Williams, Piearce, McIndoe, Baker, Rodgerson, Giddings, Moran.