NOW that Worcester City have rediscovered the trophy-winning habit, can they land an even bigger prize next season?

Winning the Dr Martens League Cup last week could be a huge psychological boost towards their main ambition - winning the Premier Division and returning to the Nationwide Conference.

City have been starved of trophies for so long - this was their first outside of county cups since Nobby Clark's side won the Southern League crown in 1978-79, and the first in the league cup for 61 years.

And to see the sheer joy on the faces of players, officials and supporters alike after the final whistle at Crawley Town was something to behold.

There's no doubt that everyone concerned wants to experience that feeling again, and efforts will no doubt be stepped up to land the bigger prize of league glory.

Now the onus is firmly on manager John Barton to make the right additions to his squad and to cut out the inconsistencies which have seen them pull off some tremendous results, only to then go and lose to struggling sides like Fisher and Dorchester.

Barton commented after last Saturday's defeat at Margate, who clinched the title last night, that they need to look to find the same sort of consistency that has served the Kent club so well this season.

They have lost just one of their last 24 league games and have scored more goals and conceded fewer than anyone else in the division. That just emphasises how much City need to improve if they are going to prosper.

It's just a shame that the second leg of the cup final couldn't have been at St George's Lane.

There was little enthusiasm for the game from the Crawley end given their 4-0 reverse in the first leg, and I am sure a considerably bigger crowd would have come along if the game had been evenly poised or even tilted in City's favour.

To take around 200 fans on a 300-mile round-trip on a Thursday night just emphasises how well City can be supported if they are successful.

It was also interesting to note the size of the crowd when they visited champions-elect Margate on Saturday.

A turnout of 1,385 was the Kent club's biggest gate of the season, but one wonders what would have happened had City been in their position and playing at home. You could have doubled that figure and then some.

City's League Cup win may have been seen as the club's first 'real' triumph in the competition, given the circumstances of their one previous success in 1939-40.

With the Second World War having just broken out, the team for the away leg at Chelmsford was swelled by a number of 'guest' players from London-based clubs, including four full internationals - Frank Broome and Billy Scott of England, Duncan McKenzie of Scotland and Idris Hopkins of Wales. George Wilkins, father of future star Ray 'Butch' Wilkins, was also in the side.

Eight members of that team never played for City before or since.

City travel to Crawley again tomorrow night for their penultimate league game of the season, while they end their campaign at Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday.

City will be looking for two victories to boost their hopes of finishing third, which would be their highest final placing since relegation from the Conference in 1985.

City's reserves are in home Central Conference action against Burton Albion tonight (7.45).

Manager John Barton will be the guest at an open form organised by City's Supporters Club.

The forum will be held at the club on Monday, May 14 at 8pm, and will follow the supporters club's annual meeting, which starts at 7.15pm.