VICTORY against Basingstoke has given the Worcester City players reason to be positive going into 2010.

It’s good to win a game at any time of the season, but it’s even better when you haven’t won away for a while and the 1-0 success was well deserved.

We are still under pressure in the league but hopefully that win will give us the impetus to hopefully get some more victories in the new year.

January is a massive month for the club with games in both the league and the FA Trophy.

It was good to finish December on a bit of a high although it was disappointing to have the Maidenhead United and Newport County games postponed.

We did, however, manage a two-hour training session on the pitch at St George’s Lane on Boxing Day.

But, we can’t do anything about that now so we have got to look to push on in the new year.

I still think the squad is strong but I sometimes scratch my head as to what is the best starting XI, although I think that is the case at a lot of clubs in our league.

We try not to chop and change the side too much but the players do get tired and need a rest, especially at this time of year with the amount of games and training.

That said, we will be without midfielder Craig Wilding for the trip to Newport on New Year’s Day through a one-match suspension.

It’s a shame for him as well as us because he has been one of our leading lights this season, but it’s another chance for someone else to come in.

Jordan Fitzpatrick, Marco Adaggio and Louis Bridges didn’t make the 16 at Basingstoke so one of them will come back in.

I have only seen Newport play once this season but they have developed a winning mentality.

They keep on going and believe they are going to win games.

That’s why they beat a team like Staines in the last minute earlier this month.

Staines had a chance to score but Newport went up the other end with a minute left and got the winner. That’s not luck, that’s a well drilled team.

As for us, I am still surprised with where we are in the league but we are there for a reason and we have had a couple of chats about it with the players over the past 10 days.

We are trying to keep the playing side of the club as professional as possible and hopefully that will reap its rewards.

Sometimes it is hard with what’s happening off the pitch and, when I don’t have any answers to give the players, it’s difficult, but we are trying our best and we will let the directors get on with their job.

I must also give a special mention to the staff at the King George V playing fields in Brickfields, where we train on the astroturf when the weather is dreadful and our pitch is not available.

They have helped us out tremendously and I think they know how much we appreciate what they do for us. Even if we can’t get on a full size pitch, we can still keep sharp with fitness and ball work.

The facilities are great and it has been a real godsend.