SINCE Worcester City drew at Blyth Spartans on January 27 they have been a different team. Quite literally.

In the six games that have followed the 2-2 draw, Andy Preece has not named the same starting 11 for two consecutive matches.

In that time, City have bowed out of the FA Trophy and given themselves a mountain to climb to reach the Nationwide North play-offs.

When City returned from Blyth they had lost just two games in 16, including beating Kettering, Burton Albion and Hinckley at St George's Lane.

Before last night's match with Lancaster they had recorded only one victory in seven attempts. What's gone wrong?

It can't be a coincidence that City's recent form has come at a time when the team seems at its most unsettled.

The same 11 players began five out of seven games up to and including Blyth but changes have been rife since. Player-manager Preece has said on many occasions that the push for promotion would be a squad effort.

He has been forced into some selections by suspension and illness but some have definitely come as a surprise.

Not least, Danny Hodnett. Against Welling in the FA Trophy, Hodnett replaced 'flu victim Des Lyttle in a back-three already missing the suspended Chris Smith.

Hodnett has since played against Stalybridge, Redditch and Leigh, and on all three occasions in the right wing-back role.

Which begs the question - why farm him out on loan to Gloucester for the rest of the season if you're going to recall him on a weekly basis?

Graham Ward appeared to have made that position his own but Hodnett's return has seen the former Tamworth player take up a more accustomed role in midfield, allowing versatility on the right.

But why the sudden changes in midfield? Nick Colley and Tom Warmer started 28 and 17 games respectively up to and including the Blyth game but have just two starts between them since before last night.

One possible reason is to accommodate a fit-again Adam Webster or perhaps Preece simply feels the need to freshen things up with two starts apiece for Chris Cornes and Shaun Findlay.

However, Cornes has failed to live up to his billing and Findlay, although promising, is unproven at this level.

Preece says it has nothing to do with formation changes, of which there have been plenty.

So, perhaps we just have to accept what the boss said on Saturday: "I think the lads have got the desire and they want to do it. We just haven't got the skill to do it at this moment in time."