Kidderminster Harriers manager Mark Yates has challenged striker Matthew Barnes-Homer to use his club form to fire him into a first England C cap later this month.

The top scorer is on standby to join the national squad for their game in Poland a week tomorrow, the second time he has been waiting by the telephone for the call after the 23-year-old was an unused member of a summer squad.

Barnes-Homer’s seven league goals this season, after 21 in all competitions last term, has kept him on the radar of national boss Paul Fairclough, and the player himself has admitted his desperation to break through.

But his club boss has told his star striker that the way to do it is by making the right noises at club level before the plane leaves, starting with the visit of league leaders Oxford on Saturday.

Yates said: “Matthew just needs to concentrate on his game, keep working hard and he will get his rewards. He has done alright this season and it’s nice individually for the players involved with England, so a full cap would be a great honour if it comes along.

“But that should not be his first point of call, the next focus starts today for Saturday’s game against Oxford. If the lad does the business there, maybe he won’t be on standby anymore. But he deserves to be in and around the squad because he is good enough, but he has got to prove it a bit more.

“I am not questioning him, I am asking for a bit more of all my players and Matthew is one of them.”