STEVE Castle has had his players in for extra training this week following Saturday s defeat to Worcester. The Saints created plenty of chances in the game but never looked like scoring and Castle ordered them in for extra training to work on their play i

STEVE Castle has had his players in for extra training this week following Saturday's defeat to Worcester. The Saints created plenty of chances in the game but never looked like scoring and Castle ordered them in for extra training to work on their play in the final third ahead of their trip to Stevenage on Saturday.

Speaking after Saturday's game, Castle said: "It was a disappointing performance and they'll be in for extra training this week. We didn't have any quality of any kind in the final third. Whether it was crossing, whether it was the final ball or whether it was a shot. You're never going to win a game and you're never going to score a goal if that's the case. There was a lot of endeavour there in the first half. The attitude was a lot better than last week. It was a day that it had to be given simple to full backs and it had to have a bit of patience because they had so many people behind the ball. They came with a game plan and it worked."

These defeats follow a long unbeaten run in the league and Castle wants his players to get back to the standards they set during the run. "They must realise that the standards they set early part of the season with this unbeaten run, that's the standards that I'm expecting and they've dipped for the last four games."

Castle is looking forward to Saturday's trip to one of his former clubs, Stevenage, and is hoping that his players show everybody how good they are. He said: "What we've got to do is compete and make sure that we are at it, that's the minimum requirement. On a negative, if we don't we'll get a real hiding. I think there are some good players there that maybe need a little bit of release. As you say we've got nothing to lose. I certainly don't think that we can go there and just think ok we'll roll over and die. We've just got to go and be as positive as we can be.

"We play some decent football, I just want them to prove to everybody what good footballers they are. You just go through all of them, they've all got some very good plus points in their game but at times they let the situation and the result get to them a little bit too much and don't really perform how we know they can perform. It's a nice pitch and decent atmosphere [at Stevenage] and as you say it might be good timing and might be a catalyst for us to bounce back in the league."

Castle named Rob Nicholls on the bench for Saturday's game with Worcester after the youngster joined the Saints on work experience from Brentford. Nicholls, who is a central midfielder, has enjoyed a successful run in this year's FA Youth Cup, scoring twice against Thurrock before being knocked out by Premier League outfit Middlesbrough. Castle moved to bring Nicholls in with Luke Thurlbourne's loan spell due to end next week.

l The draw for the quarter finals of the Herts Senior Cup was made last Friday with St Albans presented a home tie with Oxhey Jets. The game is due to take place on Tuesday, January 20, with kick off at 7.45pm.

l The St Albans City Supporters Club is running a coach to Saturday's game at Stevenage Borough. The coach departs Clarence Road at 1pm and costs £10 for adult members and £6 for juniors.

They are also hoping to run a coach to City's game at Havant and Waterlooville on December 20. The coach will leave Clarence Road at 11.30 and will cost adult members £15 and juniors £9. Anyone wishing to book a place on the coach can either contact Ian Bangs on 07733 381874 or Peter Knock on 01727 847484.