Dryden wants a strong December

Richard Dryden says his players need to put a poor run behind them

Worcester City manager Richard Dryden is looking to his side to return to winning ways after a run of only one win in seven league matches.

Dryden said they need to put a bitterly disappointing November behind them.

"We've gone off the boil," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester, ahead of Saturday's trip to St Albans.

"In October we were pulling up trees, but in November we faltered. It's a new month now and, broken into segments, we have to kick on through Christmas."

Dryden admits his side have been struggling to score in recent outings, but does not lay the blame for this solely at the door of his strikers.

You have got to take heart from how Barrow did last year when they had a right run and just sneaked into the play-offs

City boss Richard Dryden

"Everybody is due one," he said. "We haven't scored enough goals during November although we have created enough.

"Our work rate has dipped. At Hampton and Richmond and against Wimbledon and Chelmsford it was there.

"But when you look at Thurrock when we could have been two goals up after five minutes, the work rate and commitment wasn't there - I am not sure why, but it has picked up again in the last two weeks."

The recent poor run of form has seen City drop into the bottom half of the Blue Square South table, but they remain within striking distance, just seven points adrift of the play-off places.

"You have got to take heart from how Barrow did last year," he said. "They had a right run, just sneaked into the play-offs, went up and look at what they are doing now.

"It is a massive achievement what they did on their budget.

"That is something we have really got to look at between now and the end of the season."

Craig Wilding is again likely to miss out at St Albans due to his stomach muscle injury, while Rob Davies is sidelined with a hip problem.

Matt Dinsmore has been troubled by a groin injury, but may play some part as Worcester, in 12th, take on the team three places higher (and five points better off).

BBC Hereford and Worcester will have regular updates on City's progress at Clarence Park in Sport on Saturday which will be on air and online from 1400 GMT.