ANDY Preece says Worcester City will continue to battle against the odds until they move to a new ground.

City face another season in Nationwide North after seeing their slim play-off hopes dashed by Saturday's 1-0 last-day defeat at Harrogate Town.

Manager Preece believes City, who finished ninth after results went against them, have punched above their weight this season and thinks their situation will not get any better while they remain at St George's Lane.

He said: "We have improved on last season in taking it to the last game. We have just got to improve again next year and, if we do, surely we'll be in the play-offs as a minimum.

"I think for what the budget is, we've finished in about the right position and almost made it into that top five.

"We've done OK this season, have made improvement and we will just see what the budget holds.

"I would love to have a budget where I can say if we don't finish in the top five then I've not done my job but I don't think that's going to happen somehow.

"The problem is we are getting a mid-range budget so you have got to over-achieve to get where we've got to.

"Everybody knows the situation at the club and it needs someone to invest. Teams like Droylsden can just go and get a player when they need one and that's the difference.

"But the club can't gamble and I totally understand that. We've been talking about it for years and years, but until the ground gets sorted I just don't see the situation changing."

Preece also thinks the defeat at Harrogate is typical of how City have slipped up.

He added: "You can go back to lots of games where we've lost 1-0. The two games against Farsley look crucial now."