MICK Tuohy has urged Worcester's players to nip the losing habit in the bud and find the net.

City's assistant manager issued the warning ahead of tomorrow's clash with Cambridge City at St George's Lane (3pm).

Despite being buoyed by City's display in their FA Cup defeat at Hucknall, Tuohy admitted they needed to return to winning ways quickly and rediscover their scoring touch.

Strikers Adam Webster and Mark Owen have got just four goals between them with Webster scoring three in 11 starts and Owen one in 10 starts.

Top scorer Darren Middleton with eight goals has been re-deployed in midfield since David Foy's injury and has hit the target just twice in nine games.

Cambridge's arrival has added significance for John Barton's side as they bid to avoid a hat-trick of defeats and maintain their place joint top of the Dr Martens Premier Division with Crawley Town.

"Although we lost at Hucknall we had a positive response from the Bath game but we have got to score and start scoring quickly," said Tuohy.

"The Cambridge match is important because we've lost three in six, two of them back to back for the first time this season so we need to nip that in the bud."

With injuries stacking up and Paul Carty serving a one-match suspension Barton will once again be forced to shuffle his pack and with no obvious left back replacement may consider it's right to play three at the back though it is not his favoured formation.

Dan Jones, who made his debut at Hucknall as a second-half substitute, could be in the frame to start while Jon Holloway may be pushed into midfield if Barton elects to return Middleton up front and rest either Owen or Webster.

Leon Jackson serves the final match of a three-game ban.

In the Lilywhites City could not have chosen worse opponents to begin their season's revival with David Batch's side summing up perfectly the competitiveness of the Premier Division.

Despite languishing in mid-table, Cambridge can count third-placed Tiverton among their victims and have a side packed with experience.

Reminder

Another sharp reminder of their threat, if any is needed, comes with a quick glance at last year's corresponding fixture in which they acme from behind to win 2-1 with a stunning Adam Wilde volley.

Cambridge however have not been exactly prolific themselves in front of goal and not found the net with any degree of regularity. New signing Darren Collins will be keen to add to his meagre three goal tally.

Last year's victory for the Lilywhites came near the start of a miserable 11-game run for City in which they won just twice and lost seven times.

City boss Barton cannot contemplate a similar sequence of results without seeing any thoughts of a title challenge go up in smoke and will be anxiously waiting on the fitness of several key players, notably John Snape (ankle) and David Holmes (knee).

FORMCAST: City to edge it 2-0.