AFTER the previous weekend's disaster, the 4-2 victory at Ilkeston on Saturday was just what was needed.

It was a game where the result was probably more important than the performance. Fortunately we got both, an improved performance with a deserved result.

And I thought that with a little bit more due care and attention and quality, the result could have been even more emphatic.

Mark Owen showed a return to form with four goals in the two games, although he still needs to show some more improvement in order to achieve his goal of wanting to play in a higher standard of football.

He has to take it on now, and has to listen to people who are doing the talking in order for him to progress.

Our general play up front against Stafford and Merthyr was poor, and that is why we have brought in Carl Tranter. It is very much an us looking at him, him looking at us scenario and he has scored two goals in two games which is welcoming.

However, our problems have been at the other end of the field, as were emphasised in our 3-3 draw with Clevedon on Monday. People continue to make mistakes, and we have conceded 13 goals in our last four games.

The number of goals conceded from set-pieces or restart situations has been concerning, and the rest of the goals have come from individual errors.

The goals that we are scoring should be enough to win games, but we can't keep conceding like we have and expect to take three points -- we have to show improvement.

Our latest injury suffered by Steve Lutz at Ilkeston, where he had done well, has stretched us even further. In key areas of the pitch we have been lacking people who can make things count in terms of quality.

You look at players like Andy Ellis and Paul Carty. Those two are guaranteed places in the side when fit, and they are key and influential figures who are difficult to replace.

But it is no good moaning too much. We have taken four points out of six which is encouraging, but now we need to start picking up results at home.

The supporters have turned out in numbers which is what the club needed, but since February we haven't put in enough good performances in front of them -- a problem at the club for a number of years people tell me.

There are a lot of sides better suited to playing away from home, ourselves probably included.

Many enjoy coming to Worcester. It is a typical football ground, they will play in front of a larger number of supporters than they usually do and it is a decent pitch.

Moor Green may have lost their last couple of games but they have made a decent start since being promoted and they will also relish coming here on Saturday.

We need to bury the hoodoo and get three points to make it seven out of nine. Our free week will then give some of our injured players a chance to recover.