MANAGER Carl Heeley says he cannot fault his players’ efforts despite Worcester City enduring a barren run in the Blue Square Bet North.

City are yet to win in 2012 and picked up just two points from a possible 18 in January, a sequence that has put a sizeable dent in their play-off hopes.

They host fifth-placed Gainsborough Trinity at St George’s Lane tomorrow (3pm), subject to a pitch inspection this afternoon due to the freezing temperatures, looking to record their first victory since Boxing Day.

However, Heeley is not overly concerned as his side still lie ninth in the table, with only two defeats on home soil in the league all season.

“We just need to keep working hard,” Heeley said. “If the players were not putting a shift in, I would be incredibly worried but you can’t point any criticism at them for a lack of work-rate.

“We have had a bad month and that’s it. It’s not catastrophic. We want to improve on last year and are on course to do that.

“Gainsborough are up there challenging, where I thought they should have been last year, and it’s a good test for us. We are looking forward to it and relishing the challenge.

“I believe we are good enough to beat any team in the league and give them a game but there are no easy matches, whether you are playing Hyde or Blyth. I have the utmost respect for every team in our division.”

New signing Stuart Whitehead is out with a hamstring injury, while centre-half colleagues Jacob Rowe (ankle) and Lee Ayres (shoulder) were due to be assessed at training last night.

Ryan Clarke, a second-half substitute during Monday’s 1-1 draw against Histon, could return to the defence but Rob Elvins is also available after two months out with shoulder ligament damage.

Heeley added: “It’s frustrating but injuries are part and parcel of the game.

“When you haven’t been getting the results, you tend to find things go against you. When you are on a great run, winning game after game, you don’t pick any injuries up, that’s just the way it goes.”