Nat Sylvester's City Slicker column

IT must be many years now since Worcester City last reached Christmas with only league pride to play for.

City's 4-0 defeat at Bedworth United last week not only ended their reign as Dr Martens Cup holders, it also terminated their interest in any cup competition this season.

Worcester battled bravely to reach the first round of the FA Cup and more than held their own when going out to Third Division new boys Rushden and Diamonds last month.

But they under-performed in the other three cups, going out disappointingly in the first round of the FA Trophy to Dr Martens Western Division side Mangotsfield United, and then crashing out to Moor Green at the first hurdle in the Worcestershire FA Senior Cup.

The manner of the second round Dr Martens Cup exit at another Western Division side, Bedworth, was particularly galling, bearing in mind the hard work they put in to win the competition last season.

It now means that City have only respectability in the Dr Martens Premier Division to aim for in their last 22 games -- and unless the weather intervenes, they have no more Monday night games scheduled for the rest of the season, which will disappoint many fans.

No cups will also hit cash flow at St George's Lane, which was at least boosted by £37,500 from the FA Cup pool for their three victories.

And the normally lucrative festive fixtures for City are not especially attractive, with home games against struggling Newport (Isle of Wight) on Saturday and Hednesford Town on New Year's Day.

At least the manner of their 3-1 victory at Welling on Saturday suggests that they have enough about them to avoid getting drawn into a relegation battle.

Mark Shepherd's hat-trick will do wonders for his confidence, and he looks as though he can benefit from the hard graft of on-loan Stewart Hadley alongside him.

But unless City can iron out their inconsistencies and put together a nine or ten-match winning run, it's hard to see them threatening at the business end of the table, where they have a 13-point deficit to make up on leaders Crawley Town.

That's a shame because for the first time in several years, the title race looks wide open this year with no-one threatening to run away with it.

City start their busy Christmas programme at home to Newport (Isle of Wight) on Saturday, while Boxing Day sees them travel to Hinckley for a noon kick-off.