ANDY Preece delivered a simple battlecry ahead of tomorrow's St George's Lane showdown with Hucknall Town -- no more mistakes!
Worcester City entertain last season's FA Trophy finalists with an undesired reputation for handing too many soft goals on a plate.
Eight goals have been shipped in Worcester's previous three Nationwide North games and, on the majority of occasions, individual errors were accountable.
Harrogate Town profited last Saturday to earn a landslide 4-1 triumph, while Workington and Droylsden each stuck two past goalkeeper Danny McDonnell.
Since beating Gainsborough Trinity, which has proved their only success of the season, City have mustered just one point and slumped to sixth from bottom after half-a-dozen games.
Player-manager Preece is determined Worcester will come good, but he requires a mistake-free performance from his troops.
"If we make individual mistakes, we are not going to get results," said Preece. "The reason we are struggling to win games is because of those errors.
"They just keep happening and we cannot afford that. Once we cut them out and start putting one or two good results together, you will see a much better side."
In last season's corresponding fixture, Carl Heeley, Nick Colley and Adam Webster were on target as Worcester humbled Hucknall 3-0 in a dazzling display.
A repeat scoreline would delight City supporters, but Preece is prepared to settle for any victory, big or small, to get his side's league campaign moving in the right direction.
The Nottinghamshire visitors are in buoyant form, however, after scoring two second-half goals to overcome Droylsden 3-2 at the Butcher's Arms last weekend.
Preece: "Hucknall have changed quite a lot from last season. We know they are a decent side, they must be if they can come back from behind to beat Droylsden.
"We've just to go out there and play. I feel we deserved more from our first five or six games, but we need to show more. It is still early in the season though and if we get two results in quick succession, we will be just outside the play-offs and looking at a better scenario."
Chris Smith missed Worcester's last two games with an ankle injury but should play tomorrow after joining in last night's training session.
He was not risked in the 5-0 reserve win over Bromsgrove Rovers on Monday, when many other first-team players were handed run-outs.
If Smith does suffer a reaction to the injury, Preece has a dilemma in defence. Justin Thompson has effectively ended his City stay to find a professional club, one week after Barry Woolley's move to rivals Hinckley. So 19-year-old Shabir Khan is lined up for another opportunity, while summer recruit Danny Hodnett could make his competitive City debut.
Preece said: "I'm hopeful that Chris Smith will be OK. He is a key player for us and we need to take things carefully with him before the game.
"But I know Shab and Danny can do a job. It might be that there is an opportunity for both of them. It is up to them to grasp it."
Midfielder George Clegg is out for three weeks with strained knee ligaments, while Nick Colley should figure despite a slight hamstring pull.
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