CARETAKER manager John Snape is confident Worcester City have enough “know-how”, “belief” and “energy” to avoid relegation from Vanarama National League North.

The Blue and Whites remain two points clear of third-from-bottom Gainsborough Trinity with five games left.

But they missed a great chance to increase that gap on Saturday as fellow strugglers AFC Telford United snatched a 1-0 win at the New Bucks Head Stadium.

John Marsden got the winner on 83rd minute when he pounced on a defensive mix-up and fired past keeper Nathan Vaughan.

Despite the defeat Snape was pleased with the performance of his side who featured recent loan signing Kuda Muskwe up front.

“I am obviously disappointed with the result but not with the performance,” he said. “We took the game to Telford very well, especially in the first half.

“Kuda caused some trouble down the sides with Jordan Murphy joining in and the back four looked solid as their front line didn’t really work us.

“I think they had one creditable chance in the first half and on another day we could have had two or three goals.

“Telford tightened up in the second half as they dropped off a bit which allowed us a little less space in behind where we were getting a lot of joy.

“Cieron Keane has got into some great positions. He was maybe a bit trigger happy but I think the ball has gone into their box enough for us to get ourselves a goal.”

The loss was City’s third in four games to leave them hovering above the drop zone as relegation rivals Gainsborough Trinity were thumped 4-0 at Chorley.

Worcester face Curzon Ashton at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground on Saturday (3pm) before tackling four of the top seven in the final run-in.

But Snape said he was “upbeat” about City’s chances of retaining their sixth-tier status.

“They just need to continue to give their all like they have done over the past few weeks,” Snape said.

“The only game I have been disappointed with was the Altrincham defeat so on the whole I am still upbeat.

“I still think we have got enough know-how, belief and energy in that dressing room. But we are maybe lacking that extra goal.

“I don’t think Jordan (Murphy) had a chance and we are very reliant on him at the minute.

“But with Kuda coming in and maybe Chekaine (Steele) coming back in a week or so that could give us all a lift and hopefully get us points we are going to need.”

Snape said he was also boosted by the appearances of youngsters Callum Devlin and Ben Tilbury who both came off the bench late on.

“The goal was maybe a negative but on the whole Ben and Callum have both come on and got some minutes,” he said.

“I am happy the young lads are getting the chance to be bled into the side.”