WORCESTER City must kick a losing habit if they are to extend their unbeaten league run at St George's Lane tomorrow.

John Barton's side are 90 minutes away from making it eight games unbeaten but have yet to beat visitors Dover Athletic in the clubs' three encounters since the Kent side dropped out of the Conference two years ago.

It's a vital game for City as they bid to stay in touch with championship front-runners Crawley and Weymouth who have once again broken clear at the top.

Dover are the last side to beat Worcester in the league but Barton believes the omens are good for tomorrow if City continue to display the effort and commitment which has underpinned their sequence of four wins and three draws.

It was the Blue and Whites' performance at Dover in January, when they barely had 11 fit players, that helped them emerge from a disappointing festive period to subsequently haul themselves back into the top four of the Dr Martens Premier Division.

Tommy Tyne's hotly disputed winner on that day ultimately gave Dover a 2-1 win but Barton insists that is now forgotten.

"The goal that won it for them is done and dusted, it's a waste of time thinking about what you should have got," he said.

"But there were some plusses from that display and I wouldn't disagree that the Dover game was a turning point in our season.

"We've done OK in recent weeks and we can confirm that with a good result tomorrow."

Paul Carty looks set to return in place of Shabir Khan at left-back, while central defender Carl Heeley, rested with a groin strain for Monday's county cup clash with Halesowen, will also reclaim his place.

Striker Mark Owen has recovered from a virus and will play alongside Leon Kelly, who has shaken off the effects of a knock picked up in the 0-0 draw at Cambridge City.

Kelly has added incentive for doing well, having had a brief loan spell at Dover in the season they were relegated from the Conference two years ago.