IN-FORM Jai Stanley will be a pivotal player at St George's Lane next season says his manager.

Worcester City's midfield playmaker is enjoying one of his best spells at the club since joining in a £10,000 record fee from Moor Green in November 2003.

Stanley, 26, is regarded more as a creator of goals, but the schemer revelled in front of goal last Saturday by lashing a stunning brace to help City sink title pretenders Droylsden.

City's player-manager Andy Preece is now banking on Stanley to continue producing the goods.

"When the game is quite open, I think that's when you see the best of Jai," said Preece. "He's got the quality to hurt teams and we saw that on Saturday against Droylsden.

"It was an open game because they came at us and Jai saw a lot of the ball. He showed what he can do and really hurt them.

"His passing was excellent and the goals he scored were great finishes.

"He is working hard on the other side of his game too. When games are tight, he has to dig in, win his individual battle and do all the ugly things.

"He can only get better and he's had his fair share of injuries. If he stays injury-free, he can be one of our top players and I think Jai knows that.

"What the club paid for him, he needs to be one of our best players and he can be. He knows he has a big part to play next season."

Meanwhile, Worcester City's Youth Team will be looking to win the Worcestershire FA Youth Cup final for the third time tonight (7.30).

They take on Sutton Coldfield at Walshes Meadow, home of Stourport Swifts, in a repeat of last season's final.

Westfields rose to sixth in the Travel Factory Midland Alliance last night by winning 3-1 at Cradley Town in their final away league game of the season. Paul Burton's brace and a strike from Chris King sealed the points.

Archdales take on Nunnery Wood Sports tonight in Worcester League's Katherine Rayer Cup final, held at St George's Lane (7.30).