WORCESTER City toiled without reward in the April sunshine as they warmed up for the biggest game of their season.

There are now just days to go before City take on Blue Square Bet North champions Chester in what will be the club’s last ever game at St George’s Lane.

What has happened in the past 41 games will matter little then when ensuring the ground gets a fitting finale will top the agenda.

In a way, ever since City’s play-off dream faded, and certainly once they were mathematically safe from the drop, everything has been geared towards Chester.

The players seem to have found a new lease of life, no doubt spurred on by the opportunity to earn a starting spot in front the best part of 4,000 fans this Saturday.

Few did their chances any harm at Brackley, even if the result ensured the Saints completed the league double over Worcester.

The visitors more than matched their opponents in the first-half and worked their socks off in the second, creating plenty of chances along the way.

But they were undone by two Tom Winters goals inside 16 first-half minutes, both of which owed much to Matt Sargeant being hamstrung by a thigh injury.

With Glyn Thompson also injured, the goalkeeper had been forced to play after the Conference rejected City’s plea to draft in emergency cover.

Sargeant’s movement was restricted for both goals, unable to readjust when Winters held off the challenge of Tyler Weir to head home the first and then struggling to get down to Izak Reid’s drive, which hit the post for Winters to convert the rebound. The former Tipton Town stopper was also loathe to kick from hand, meaning he was either forced to use his unfamiliar left foot, rely on his team-mates to take goal kicks or give them possession deep in their own half.

Brackley knew he was hampered and they exploited the weakness, although Sargeant did produce a good block to deny Winters his hat-trick.

But City rallied round their stricken colleague and made every effort to get back into the contest.

Mike Symons had two good opportunities, firstly being thwarted by keeper Billy Turley before somehow firing wide from close range following Kieron Morris’ pin-point cross, while defender Jacob Rowe also planted a header against the bar.

In the first-half, either side of Winters’ opener, Ethan Moore drew a good save from Turley and Rob Elvins blazed over following Morris’ corner.

Morris and Daniel Williams, handed his first start for the club, threatened down the flanks and defensively the visitors were resolute.

If they give the same effort against Chester, few will complain whatever the outcome.