THERE is, of course, nothing that can be done about the past - it's just history and has absolutely no effect on the future.

But try telling that to Worcester Rugby Club supporters who trudged miserably away from Bournbrook on Saturday, convinced that the Ghost of Christmas Past is making his merry way back to Sixways to wreak yet more havoc.

That was the feeling coming from Gold'n'Blues fans immediately after they saw Worcester slump to their first National One defeat of the season to Moseley.

They were convinced that the festive period really does bring bad luck and that once again their club would inevitably be unable to last the pace in the title race.

Last season with Worcester leading the way in Allied Dunbar Two defeats to Exeter and Leeds in the space of a month scuppered their title challenge while two years ago losses coming up to and after Christmas spoilt their good work earlier in the campaign.

So you could forgive supporters for greeting Christmas time at Sixways with the same relish as Ebenezer Scrooge as the tinsel comes out and the carols are sung.

The morale for Ebenezer though was that he had to change his ways, so if there is a reason for Worcester's slip-ups post Christmas then what can be the explanation?

Worcester can hardly be criticised for their inability to swap things around.

They brought in more than 20 players in the summer, along with a new coach to go with Geoff Cooke who had also been there less than a year.

Logically, Worcester did not get promoted because they lost tough games that would have been difficult at any stage of the season.

However, once a club gets a reputation it is almost impossible to shake it off.

Certainly director of coaching Adrian Skeggs cannot understand the traditional slump but insists - there is little he can do about the past.

"We have a new coaching structure and a completely different team to previous years so there is no reason for a repeat.

"We have suffered one defeat but we will come back, there is no doubt about that.

"People out there believe that we will fall away after Christmas but it is up to us to prove the critics wrong.

"I can't do anything about what went on here in the past - that's gone and it won't affect what happens here in the future.

"There are a few, with last year at the back of their minds, panicking but people should not worry because we have the talent to win this competition."

People will, of course, remain convinced that Worcester will go into a post Christmas nosedive and only consecutive victories in December and January will banish those ghosts and finally lay to rest the popular myths surrounding the club.

Then and only then will Sixways fans be able to cheer Christmas and the New Year with vigour instead of worrying about the demons which lurk in the back of their minds.

The clock has already chimed for one'o'clock and the Ghost is here now lying in wait for another slip-up.

Now is the time to leave this phantom where it belongs - in the past.