ANDY Preece was again left counting the cost of sloppy defending at St George's Lane as Worcester City crashed 2-1 to Gainsborough Trinity in Nationwide North last night.

The Lincolnshire side stole the honours in front of City's lowest league gate of the season with a first-half header from Lee Ellington, cancelled out by Adam Webster's thumping penalty, and Ryan Mallon's deflected winner.

It was Worcester's seventh consecutive defeat in all competitions and their eighth loss in nine this year -- January's point gleaned from Ashton United proving the only bright spot in an otherwise torturous sequence of form.

In his second game in charge, player-manager Preece named the same side that was gunned down 3-1 by Southport on Saturday.

The veteran striker felt City deserved a share of the spoils after working hard and fashioning an equaliser, but Preece blamed defensive frailties for another loss.

He said: "It was disappointing. That was a game we should have got something out of. There was nothing between the teams. Once we got back into the game to one-each, we should be making sure that we at least get a point and stop the run that we are on.

"But to defend like we did then, it was almost a carbon copy of the third goal on Saturday.

"While we keep making errors and gifting teams goals, then we are going to struggle to win games."

An even first-half began with City goalkeeper Danny McDonnell thwarting Mallon in a one-on-one confrontation, while Webster's stinging volley at the other end required a fine stop by Jamie Holmshaw.

The Worcester defence fell asleep as Trinity took the lead on 37 minutes. Danny Wood's pin-point cross from the right found the unmarked Ellington, whose header sailed past McDonnell into the far corner.

City levelled matters when Webster drilled home from the penalty spot on 70 minutes. The spot-kick was awarded when Trinity skipper Chris Hurst upended Leon Kelly following a terrific burst into the box.

But the Blues regained the lead six minutes later. Paul Carty failed to clear Holmshaw's long punt and Mallon collected, nutmegged Colin Hoyle, and his shot deflected off Barry Woolley to loop over McDonnell into the net.

Jai Stanley almost rescued a point in injury-time but his delicious volley was tipped over by Holmshaw.

City: McDonnell 6, Warner 6, Gardiner 6 (Snape 67, 6), Hoyle (c) 6, Woolley 6, Carty 5, Stanley 7, Warmer 5 (Volosanovs 84), Kelly 6, Webster 7, Preece 6 (Colley 67, 6). Subs not used: Lyons, Skyers.

Attendance: 611.