ALTHOUGH they're unlikely to win it now, Worcester City could still have a major say in the destiny of this season's Dr Martens League Premier Division title.

Everyone's accepted that the title now boils down to a two-horse race between Burton Albion, who visit St George's Lane for a crunch game on Saturday, and surprise packages Margate.

But City have to face both clubs in the final run-in -- indeed, they have to go to Margate for the Kent club's final home game on April 28.

That could still be crucial bearing in mind the two main contenders have to play each other at Eton Park on the final day of the season.

And both clubs are going to look on a meeting with City as being one of the toughest games they have left.

Burton currently hold the whip hand but Margate are only a point behind and, crucially, have three games in hand and are now considered favourites in most people's eyes. The rest of the field is well out of reach.

There is, however, doubt about whether the Kent club will be promoted to the Nationwide Conference as their Hartsdown Park ground may struggle to meet the necessary standards - which would mean Burton, who have no such problems, going up even if they finish second.

One thing Margate do have in their favour is a highly experienced manager in Chris Kinnear, who's been there and done it before twice with his former club Dover Athletic, and his sides are legendary for giving very little away.

But City boss John Barton is still tempted to side with his former club Burton, saying: "The gap is a point and three games, and I think people will look at those three games in hand and automatically assume they will take nine points - but it rarely works that way.

"I still think it is delicately poised - I don't see it as being cut-and-dried Margate's way. It will be interesting to see, if one win takes them above Burton, how they cope with top spot.

"Margate remind me so much of Chris Kinnear's Dover sides it is uncanny. He has quickly got people who can work the way he wants it to work, and with the ability to carry out instructions. Players who do that are worth their weight in gold."

Burton, of course, have been up there all season and have only lost three times in the league -- but a proliferation of drawn games have prevented them escaping Margate's clutches.

And because of their high-profile manager Nigel Clough, many opposing sides are treating a clash with Burton as their cup final, which can only make life increasingly difficult for them.

City will be no exception and if Burton slip up, it's possible that the title could take a decisive swing Margate's way this weekend -- they have a home game against struggling Halesowen Town.

The frustration for City comes in the fact that they could easily have been in the thick of the title race themselves had they not thrown away so many silly points during the season, especially against the struggling sides.

They also could have taken points off both of the top two in their earlier meetings, suffering 1-0 defeats away to Burton and at home to Margate through entirely preventable goals, Mark Tucker's farcical own-goal sentencing them in the Margate game last month.

When it's come to the crunch this season City have generally failed to deliver, be it in the league or in the major cup competitions, which has prevented them making a major challenge.

It's high time that the pendulum swung their way - but the players will have to be at their best to achieve it, particularly on Saturday.

City face another big game on Monday when Western Division high-flyers Bilston Town, managed by former City midfielder Joe Jackson, visit St George's Lane in the quarter-finals of the Dr Martens Cup.

Victory would take City into the last four of the competition for the first time since the 1972-73 season.