MANAGER Carl Heeley insists Worcester City are “not short of confidence” ahead of today’s visit to Gloucester City despite their long winless run and being “decimated” by injuries and suspensions (3pm).

The Blue and Whites arrive at Whaddon Road on the back of a sequence of nine matches without a Vanarama National League North victory.

They will also be missing a number of key players, including banned duo Lee Hughes and Cieron Keane.

However, Heeley admitted 16th-placed Worcester were “used to setbacks” and ready to tackle mid-table Gloucester.

“We are decimated by injuries but that’s been the case for several weeks now,” he said.

“Obviously the side I will have available will be weakened by the fact we have got a number of players missing.

“But I can’t do anything about it. It’s out of my control so all we can do is just deal with what we have got.

“We are used to setbacks and facing challenging situations so we have just got to get on with it.”

Captain Danny Jackman (back), winger Connor Hughes (knee), centre-back Tom Sharpe (knee), attacking midfielder Micah Evans (calf) and defender James Chambers (knee) are all on City’s injury list.

With Keane beginning a two-match ban following his sending off in City’s 0-0 draw at Alfreton Town, skilful attacker Chekaine Steele is likely to return to the starting line-up after being an unused substitute last weekend.

Home-grown striker Joe Bates also looks set to be named in the squad after Steven Craig’s loan move to Stafford Rangers.

City, who are five points above the drop zone, have not registered a league win since beating AFC Telford United on November 12.

But having chalked up three successive draws Heeley says morale is high in the camp.

“People can make judgements from the outside,” he said.

“But I know what we have got in the camp and I know what the morale is like among the lads and they are certainly not short of confidence.

“We have ground out good results and the last three games we have drawn we could easily have won them all.

“It hasn’t quite been happening but we could have lost all those games and we haven’t so there is a positive in itself.”

A late Deon Burton strike secured Worcester a 1-0 victory at Gloucester last season but their rivals have won nine of their previous 10 meetings, including a 3-2 triumph at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground in August.

However, Heeley insists past results will have “no bearing” on what he expects to be a “tight” and “hard-fought” local derby.

“It is going to be a very tough game,” he added.

“They have had the upper-hand in recent years so we have got to try to buck that trend and get a result similar to what we did last season there.”