ANDY Preece has criticised the timing of next Monday's Nationwide North clash with Hinckley United -- admitting it gives his Worcester City squad little rest-time.

City host the Leicestershire side, now captained by former St George's Lane favourite Carl Heeley, just 48 hours after Saturday's difficult league opener at Kettering Town.

Five home fixtures in the 2005/06 campaign have already been scheduled for Monday evenings -- the club's traditional mid-week date.

But player-manager Preece believes the short break between Saturday and Monday gives his players little time to recharge their batteries.

Last season, City broke tradition when the fixture with Worksop was re-scheduled to a Tuesday night.

Officials feared fans would stay away to watch a televised Monday clash between Manchester United and Liverpool.

However, fixtures are unlikely to be changed to an alternative date in the near future.

"I would have not wanted to play Hinckley on Monday," said Preece. "I really wanted a bit of a break after Kettering because that game is going to take something out of the players.

"It's going to be two tough games in three days because it will be another hard game against Hinckley. Saying that, it is the same conditions for Hinckley, but it is not ideal.

"I don't think playing Saturday then Monday is the best, but it's something of a tradition for the club.

"It's really there to get extra people through the gate. I think it's something we will monitor as the season goes on. Obviously, we will look at it and if it's something that continues to help us financially, we may have to stick with it."

City travel to Rockingham Road, now home of former Worcester striker Christian Moore, hoping to break a barren spell in front of goal.

In their last three pre-season fixtures against Evesham United, Oxford United and Newport County, Worcester failed to hit the scoresheet.

But Preece is refusing to cast a worrying glance, insisting his side's arsenal of strikers carry enough firepower to trouble opponents.

Preece: "I'm not worried about that. We've played a lot of teams from a higher standard, so we were never going to score five or six every time.

"There should be a lot of goals in us with the strikers we've got."

Nick Colley is a doubt for the Kettering clash after bruising a toe and Preece said the winger may need a pain-killing injection to get through the game.