DANIEL Nti has issued a warning that his former club have a reputation for causing cup upsets ahead of tomorrow’s FA Trophy first round clash at Bootham Crescent.

If selected, the York City winger will come up against Worcester players whom he left behind following a summer switch to North Yorkshire and Nti is well aware of his old team’s potential, having been part of the side that knocked neighbouring giants Coventry out of the FA Cup in 2014.

He also scored in the second round to take League One Scunthorpe to a replay at Glanford Park, where the Midland part-timers were eventually overcome 14-13 on penalties at the end of the longest shoot-out in the competition’s history.

Worcester claimed the scalp, meanwhile, of the mighty Liverpool to reach the Cup’s fourth round in 1958/59 and Nti said: “It was a great result to go to the Ricoh Arena and win and the club has a bit of a reputation for cup runs but, hopefully, we can end that.

“They tend to bring a few supporters too for these kind of games, but I’m sure our fans will get behind us and we can get back to winning ways.”

Having worked under Blues boss Carl Heeley for three years, Nti is also expecting a spirited contest, adding: “They have a good manager who I enjoyed working under and he will be telling them they need to have more heart than us, so we must make sure that’s not the case.”

Despite his links to the visitors’ camp, Nti went on to insist there would be no room for sentiment once it comes to 3pm on match day, even though he was willing Worcester to defeat Curzon Ashton in their rearranged final qualifying round to set up the clash.

“I had a feeling Worcester would beat Curzon, because football is funny and these things always seem to work out that way,” Nti grinned. “I was rooting for them and they’re a good team but, whilst I’m pleased they got the money for getting to this round, hopefully they won’t be getting any more.”

Nti revealed, meanwhile, that he struck up a good understanding on the pitch with Lee Hughes last term and identifies the former Premier League marksman as a threat if he recovers from a knee problem in time to feature for the visitors.

The former Loughborough University attacker also believes his former club are strong in midfield, but reckons that City possess enough quality to prevail.

“They’ve got some good players,” Nti pointed out. “Lee Hughes is obviously a goalscorer and most of my 15 assists last season went to him – probably about ten of them.

“He scored 16 and he’s on double figures now, so he’s a threat even at 40 and I learned a lot off him. He’s played at the highest level and he’s one of those players who always manages to find himself in the right areas of the box, which makes life easier for wingers.

“For his age, he’s weird, because he’s still fit and mobile, so he’s a hard player to come up against. They’ve also got very good midfield players like Ebby Nelson-Addy, who came in from Hartlepool.

“But, whilst I think it will be a tough test, I feel we’re capable of dealing with all their threats and winning the tie.”

Nti was employed as a right-wing back during the Minstermen’s 1-0 reserve defeat this week to Rotherham, but he is being pencilled in for a more familiar forward role against Worcester if Rhys Murphy is ruled out – either by bruised ribs or illness.

On the reserve experiment, he said: “We had a few first-team players playing out of position and I thought we did well. Playing at wing-back took a bit of getting used to and, in the first half, I was just trying to get accustomed to it.

“It felt more comfortable in the second half when we had more of the ball and those players, who were out of position, could just show their strengths on the ball and it’s all fitness in the bank. We should have won the game with the chances we had, but we didn’t take them and that’s what happens in football sometimes.”

Having just served a three-match suspension for his 90th-minute red card during the 4-1 home defeat to Lincoln, Nti is now champing at the bit to impress with manager Gary Mills critical of his sending off, just three matches after singing his praises following his first City goal against Sutton.

“I just want to be playing games,” Nti admitted. “The suspension was unfortunate, but it was silly from me because, even though I slipped into the challenge, it was negligent and my own fault.

“It’s been very frustrating sitting out the last three matches and it’s hard watching when you just want to affect games, so I’m just looking forward to trying to help the team out again.”

Nti also shares Mills’ goal of ending the season in the FA Trophy final on the third Sunday in May, enthusing: “Everybody wants to go and play at Wembley.

“I’ve only ever been there to watch England and Brentford when a mate of mine was playing in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, so it’s a great ambition of mine to play there.”