Cheltenham Town striker Ashley Vincent is urging the fringe players set to form a makeshift side in the FA Cup at Doncaster to take their chance and stake a claim to participate in a dream tie against Aston Villa.

The Robins travel to the Keepmoat Stadium on Tuesday night to contest a third-round replay against Doncaster and earn the right to face the Premier League giants on Saturday following their goalless draw at Whaddon Road last Tuesday.

Martin Allen's team arrive in Yorkshire as massive underdogs due to a crippling player shortage that deepened yesterday when the manager revealed that a further two players, who played at Colchester on Saturday, face fitness tests this morning and are struggling to feature tonight.

They will join a host of players injured or ineligible to face Sean O'Driscoll's team and Allen could be forced to pitch one of his young scholars into the starting line-up alongside the likes of Andy Lindegaard, Lloyd Owusu, David Bird and Jonny Hayes, who have all found themselves warming the bench of late.

Vincent, however, believes the fringe players are capable of pulling off a shock result and cementing their place in the starting line-up against Martin O'Neill's Villains on Saturday – even though a host of players are set to return from injury, ineligibility and suspension before the potential fourth-round clash.

He said: "It may look like we have a bit of a depleted squad but we are well on it and will be giving it our best shot to get through. It is a chance for some players who haven't been playing regularly to put in a performance and make it difficult for the gaffer to leave you out for the big game on Saturday.

"There are players returning who will be available again before the weekend, but if the players that play up at Doncaster can do the business it gives them a chance to keep their places for what would be a massive game against Aston Villa.

"Doncaster are a very good side, who have won their last three games, but we feel we have the players here ready to cause an upset."

Cheltenham could have avoided the necessity to make the long trip up North this evening after striker Lloyd Owusu missed a chance from close-range in the dying stages of last week's pulsating encounter.

"I thought Doncaster played well in the opening period, but we had a great chance to nick it at the end and were disappointed not to win the game," Vincent added. "Unfortunately, Lloyd just couldn't get his foot to the ball to convert that late chance so we just have to try and do it all again at their place."

The Robins recent record against Doncaster has been impressive after they followed up a shock 2-0 victory at the Keepmoat under John Ward during their successful relegation run-in almost two years ago with a win at Whaddon Road on the final day of last season to guarantee their League One status for a third successive campaign.

"We have done well against Doncaster in the past," Vincent said. "That gives us hope that we are capable of producing a positive result. They have some good players but it is a one-off game for us with nothing to lose so we will be out to enjoy ourselves.

"They might be on a bit of a roll and not many people will be giving us a chance. A lot of people will be thinking that it is a bit of a walk-over game for them, but I can assure you it won't be.

"There can be no bigger incentive for us to do well than a possible game against one of the biggest clubs in the country and we are all well up for it," added the forward.

Cheltenham (from): Brown, Puddy, Lindegaard, Duff, Gallinagh, Ridley, Wright, Bird, Westlake, Russell, Hayes, Owusu, Hammond, Watkins, Durant, Fathers.