WORCESTER City will have nobody to blame but themselves if their season peters out into mediocrity.

That is the verdict of manager Richard Dryden after watching his team crash out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle against AFC Wimbledon.

Add that to Tamworth in the FA Cup and Bognor Regis in the Setanta Shield and City are left with only Blue Square South to concern them between now and April.

Just 895 fans were at the Lane for Saturday’s 3-1 defeat but Dryden says he wasn’t shocked by the poor attendance and knows his team have to improve quickly.

He said: “Considering how we have been playing I am not surprised but it was a decent game to watch although we were on the end of a defeat.

“We haven’t pulled up many trees at home this season apart from the St Albans and Wimbledon league games.

“It’s up to us now to pull together to win games at home and away otherwise it’s going to be a mediocre season.”

The manager was critical of his team’s defending in the 2-0 reverse at Thurrock earlier this month and his players don’t appear to have learned.

He said: “I don’t think anybody could say the work-rate wasn’t there, but the goals we conceded were sloppy. When you play teams like Wimbledon, and Chelmsford this week, and you gift them goals you are fighting a losing battle. If you gift them one goal, maybe you can get it back, otherwise you have got no chance in cups or the league and that’s what was disappointing.

“The performance was OK but at the end of the day we have been kicked out of another cup because of our inept defending as a team.

“We have gifted goals and it’s my job to sort that out.”

Dryden added: “The start wasn’t great with the goal we conceded but in the second-half I thought we would get something out of the game.

“I think the majority of people watching thought that too because we dominated for long periods.

“But then we conceded another sloppy goal.”

It is approaching one year since Dryden took over as manager and he is annoyed he has failed to win a major cup match in his first 12 months in charge.

“It was this time last year when I came in,” he said. “I watched them at Guiseley when they went out of the Trophy and we are out again.

“If we had defended properly as a team the work-rate would have got us through.”

Dryden was also left to marvel at the personnel available to Dons chief Terry Brown after Belal Aiteouakrim and Elliott Godfrey more than made up for the absence of strike duo Jon Main and Danny Kedwell.

“There’s no doubt Wimbledon are a decent side,” The City boss said.

“It proves they have got a very good squad, but I still feel we would have got something out of the game if we had defended properly. We need a total kick up the backside.”