WINNING away from home has become something of a habit for Worcester City in 2006.

With two just games left before the end of the year - away at Kettering on Boxing Day and Redditch on Saturday - Andy Preece's side have won 17 of their 26 matches in league and cup competitions.

That is a mightily impressive statistic, especially when you consider the 1-0 success at Gainsborough Trinity on January 21 was City's first victory on the road last season.

Since then they have not looked back, losing just five times, including the penalty-shoot-out defeat to Basingstoke, and drawing the other four.

Of course, now that record has been highlighted, they'll probably go and ruin it all this week. But let's hope not.

Whatever happens against Kettering or Redditch, Preece's men have every reason to be proud of their efforts away from St George's Lane this year.

The player-manager said: "I knew our away form was unbelievable. If it was our home form that would be fantastic.

"We lost to Basingstoke on penalties so to lose only four away games in the calendar year, there probably won't be any better in football.

"It's something that we are very proud of and I am really, really pleased with our away form. We have had a really good year."

At home, however, it is a different story. Again, City have played 26 matches at the Lane, but have won just eight of them - four this season.

Surprisingly, given their form at the start of the current campaign, they have only lost six games at home this year but it is the fact they have drawn 12 times that is perhaps the most telling statistic.

But, as another year draws to a close, the picture painted over the last 12 months is one of success.

City have won 25 times from 52 attempts, practically every other game, and that is good going in anyone's book.

A further 17 of those fixtures have ended in draws and just 11 in defeat.

"It's a good strike-rate," Preece said. "We are winning almost half our games which will put us in good stead for the season and give us a great chance of being in the play-offs."

But he added: "It's too many draws at home that have probably let us down and we have to rectify that going into the new year."

Highlights of the calendar year are almost exclusively away from home.

The pick of the bunch, for it's importance, has to be the win at Gainsborough in January, courtesy of Adam Webster's last-gasp strike.

Close on its heels is Webster's four goals at Leigh RMI in April, in the same week when he also scored twice in an excellent 3-2 win at Stalybridge Celtic.

There were also valuable triumphs at Northwich Victoria in February and a 4-0 trouncing of Hednesford in March.

Into this season, and the 3-2 comeback win against Blyth Spartans, coupled with the penalty shoot-out success against the same opponents, both at home, are right up there.

However, the one downer, possibly of the whole year, came at Basingstoke at the end of October.

If City could have one game again, surely that would be it.