NO football fan really enjoys their team playing the long-ball game -- even at clubs where the 'agricultural' approach has proved mighty successful down the years.

It's ugly, painful to watch and often the most-telling sign of a desperate side.

Worcester City manager John Barton will readily admit that the majority of terrace taunts aimed his way at St George's Lane revolve around the over-use of the airborne tactics.

Not that Barton preaches it, mind, and for the most part, the criticism fired his way this season has been off the mark.

Barring the odd game where too many up-and-unders were pumped towards the front two, the recent 2-1 win over Runcorn FC Halton springs to mind, City have generally tried to get the ball down to play on the deck.

Worcester do not have the players capable of performing to an effective long-ball game, especially the strikers, Adam Webster, Mark Owen and Leon Kelly, none of whom are particularly renowned target-men.

All three prefer the ball played to their feet rather than launched towards their head and chest from 60 yards away.

Bombing the ball from defence to attack also wastes the creative gifts in midfield.

Jai Stanley and Tom Warmer are good users of the ball and adept at spotting an eye-of-a-needle pass, while winger Nick Colley and full-backs Les Hines and Rob Warner have proved to be excellent crossers of the ball.

Ignoring the qualities that these players bring is surely counter-productive.

So where is this all going. Well, despite offering my own personal viewpoint that the long ball is almost completely purposeless for Barton's boys, there does come along a rare game when it could be a little useful.

New Year's Day's Nationwide North defeat at Nuneaton Borough is perhaps a case in point where a change in tack was required to overcome the opposition.

The monsoon-like conditions at Manor Park were never going to cater for sweet fast-flowing football, although for spells City strung a number of good, attractive moves across midfield, with Stanley and Paul Carty always looking for the short pass to the forward pair of Owen and Kelly.

But however much City played to their strengths, you sensed they needed a more direct approach in the swirling rain to carry a greater threat in the final third of the pitch.

Nuneaton were certainly quick to get the ball to forward duo Kevin Wilson and Gez Murphy at the earliest possible opportunity, mostly with the high ball.

One long punt by the home side just before half-time seemed to have Carl Heeley's forehead stamped all over it until the wind blew the ball into the path of Mark Noon, whose 10-yard shot was saved one-handed by Danny McDonnell.

It was that sort of opportunism that could have given City a good start to 2005. But the long-ball on any other day? There's just no need.