FRUSTRATED Jai Stanley and Mark Danks will be forced to watch from the sidelines tomorrow for different reasons.

Striker Danks, who pledged his future to Worcester City this week by signing a contract tying him up to the end of the 2007/08 season, begins a three-game ban.

He also misses fixtures with Alfreton Town and Stalybridge Celtic following his sending-off against Redditch United when he kicked out at full-back Damion Whitcombe.

With nine Nationwide North goals in 13 games following his move from Forest Green Rovers, Danks' absence will prove a blow as City seek to end a run of two straight losses at bottom club Hednesford.

On a positive note, Adam Webster is expected to recover from 'flu, which ruled him out of crushing home defeats to Moor Green and Stalybridge, and resume his old partnership with Leon Kelly.

Also unavailable to make an impact at Keys Park is midfield playmaker Stanley, who is currently serving a month's loan with the struggling Pitmen.

An option to allow Town to select Stanley was considered, given the unlikelihood of City grabbing a play-off place, but player-manager Andy Preece rebuffed the idea.

"It was a possibility that Jai may have played for Hednesford," revealed Preece. "But I can only see negatives in allowing him.

"The problem being that if we lost against Hednesford, he contributed towards it and then later on we just miss out on the play-offs, people will ask why we let him play.

"Also, if Jai gets injured, people will ask the same question. In the end, it is not that difficult a decision for me.

"But I know Jai's been doing very well at Hednesford. The loan has been ideal for him. He will come back for our game against Alfreton and we will look to get him involved."

Back-to-back setbacks at St George's Lane look to have condemned Worcester to another season in Nationwide North, but Preece admits the fight will go on. To stand a realistic chance, City must strive to win all eight remaining fixtures and wish for kind results elsewhere.

Preece added: "I would have thought we need to win all eight games, but you never know. Stalybridge and Droylsden both lost in mid-week, while Harrogate have got to play Droylsden tomorrow.

"There's a lot that can happen. We will just play our normal game and see where that takes us at the end of the season.

"Our home form has destroyed us in recent weeks. But we must keep going and look to beat Hednesford."

City demolished the Pitmen 6-2 back in November -- with Kelly slamming a hat-trick -- but Preece is not expecting an easy ride this time.

He added: "Hednesford badly need a victory, especially after Worksop won on Tuesday, so they will come out at us. It's a huge game for them, but we are not in the business to help teams out."

While suspended, a forthcoming fortnight stretch will allow for Danks to shake off a persistent ankle injury, while striker Troy Wood is not 100 per cent with a shin problem.