WORCESTER City's title hopes lie in tatters today after the weekend's 2-1 defeat at Stafford Rangers.

John Barton's side are now eight points behind Dr Martens Premier Division leaders Tamworth who also have a game in hand over the St George's Lane club.

City battled bravely on a heavily sanded Marston Road pitch but, despite clawing their way back into the match, were stung by a breakaway goal 20 minutes from time.

Assistant manager Mick Tuohy refused to write off City's championship ambitions but admitted old failings had cost them dear against Stafford.

"We felt we had 70 percent of possession but possibly our biggest problem all season has been converting chances or half chances when we have been the better side," he said. "I'm not sure we deserved to win but we didn't deserve to lose.

"There are 13 games to go and there is still a lot to play for and we just hope the run-in is fruitful but we are not writing anything off yet.

"People think we have slipped away but this is not a bad slump that we are in because I actually thought we played well.

"There have been times this season when we've had the rub of the green and things have gone our way but today it was Stafford's turn to enjoy it.

"We could have scored a second but Adam's shot was blocked and they broke straight down the other end and scored against the run of play so it just wasn't our day."

Before the season Tuohy estimated a points haul of around 84 would win the league which now leaves little room for error.

"I thought about 84 points would win the title so that means we've got to win most of our games to get somewhere near that.

"But the spirits are high and if you look at the players that were not playing today it tells you how far we have come."

First team regulars Paul Carty, Darren Middleton, David Foy, Pat Lyons, John Snape, Mark Shail and Mark Owen were all unavailable for Saturday's match.

Adam Wilde whose participation in tomorrow's England National Game XI clash in Belgium was in doubt after he suffered a hamstring strain, trained with the England squad yesterday and suffered no reaction.