WORCESTER City boss John Barton wants his side to end their goal famine as quickly as possible.

City go into tomorrow's home Dr Martens League Premier Division clash with lowly Folkestone Invicta (3pm) without a goal in 415 minutes of action.

They could be further hit tomorrow with 22-goal leading scorer Mark Owen rated as "very doubtful" because of a groin injury.

City's goal drought -- which excludes the five they netted in the penalty shoot-out victory at Tamworth in the Dr Martens Cup -- has seen them slip out of the title race and into 10th place in the table after three successive league defeats.

The worrying thing is that they have created very few scoring chances during that run.

Barton admitted: "We are not kidding ourselves that we are in a sticky patch and the goals have dried up.

"Scoring goals changes the course of games and it is the biggest confidence booster of all.

"But we have to face the problems that we have head-on, and tomorrow presents the next chance to get three points so we have to look forward to it.

"At Salisbury in midweek we have at least had a better performance to talk about, but we still didn't have enough to win the game. But that sort of performance would have got something out of the game at Moor Green.

"We haven't played well enough to do many of the things that help you win matches. We have given silly goals away and we haven't forced the opposition to have to work too hard to get something from the games.

"We have to be positive, and that includes our not too impressive home record. There comes a time when you have to stand up and put it to the back of people's minds, and we aim to do that tomorrow."

Tomorrow's game is the start of a run of three matches against sides at the wrong end of the table, which could give City a chance to restore their confidence -- but Barton warned his side not to be complacent.

He said of Folkestone: "Margate only beat them in the last minute so they obviously have got something there.

"They are going to be scrapping for everything so problems are there for us to face and get round in order to win the match."

With the St George's Lane pitch having been affected by frost this week, City have arranged a precautionary pitch inspection at 5.30pm today, but are hopeful the game will go ahead.

Worcester (from): McDonnell, P. Wyatt, Davies, Bradley, Tucker, Heeley, Weir, Lutz, Carty, Owen, Tranter, Cottrill, M. Wyatt, Cotter, Hyde, Ellis, Joyce, Scheppel.