City could be a dark horse for title – Lowe (From Worcester News)

City could be a dark horse for title – Lowe

10:00am Saturday 18th August 2012 in Sport By Steve Carley, @stevecarleyWN

WHEN it comes to ringing endorse-ments about a team’s chances of success, you can’t do much better than those from a title-winning manager.

For Gary Lowe, who led Hyde to the Blue Square Bet North championship last season, believes Worcester City could be this year’s surprise package.

Hyde, along with Worcester, were tipped as favour-ites for the drop 12 months ago yet they led the division from day one.

Carl Heeley’s City, priced at 22-1 to win this season’s title ahead of today’s opener at Bradford Park Avenue (3pm), finished seventh, missing out on the play-offs in the penultimate round of fixtures.

While Lowe is not quite ready to present them with the trophy, he feels Worcester are certainly a side to look out for this term.

Lowe, who resigned just hours after securing promotion in May after being un-able to agree a playing budget, said: “I had a good look at all the sides last year. I think Worcester have got more than an outside chance of doing well.

“Halifax have certainly strengthened and Guiseley have been around a while but, from seeing Worcester a few times last year, I don’t think they have got anything to be frightened of.

“I know Carl a little bit and I felt that, as the season went on, they improved.

“I have always been an admirer of Mike Symons and we might have had a go at getting him if we had stayed at Hyde. They have also signed Danny Glover and I think offensively they will be good. They will score goals.”

As well as Halifax and Guiseley, Altrincham, newly-promoted Chester and Gains-borough Trinity are also fancied by the bookies along with Bishop’s Stortford, who City entertain at St George’s Lane on Monday night.

Worcester lost 2-1 at Hyde’s Ewen Fields on the opening day of last season, when Symons struck, and drew 2-2 in the return fixture in December.

Lowe, who was sent off in the latter match along with two of his players and City full-back Martyn Naylor, said: “St George’s Lane’s an intimidating place to go and potentially Worcester could get good gates.”