ASSISTANT manager Matt Gardiner says signing new players to help Worcester City’s battle against relegation cannot be ruled out.

The Blue and Whites are third-from-bottom at the halfway point of the Skrill North campaign following Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Gloucester City.

They are just two points from safety with a game in hand on 19th-placed Gloucester, but Gardiner is wary of City getting cut adrift along with Barrow and Workington.

He believes the squad are capable of clawing themselves up the table but says personnel changes might need to be considered.

“We’re still in touch and have got to stay in touch,” Gardiner declared.

“Days like Saturday are disappointing because Gloucester are our competitors and we wanted to strike a blow.

“But I am sure Carl (manager Heeley) will be looking at it and decide whether the players we’ve got are good enough to carry on or he looks to bring someone else in.”

Gardiner was critical of City’s profligacy in front of goal against the Tigers but also felt the defence was at fault for Connor Waldon’s winner.

He added: “You can’t say the lads haven’t tried but we possibly could have been a little bit smarter. Our quality and final pass could have been a lot better.

“If you look at the goals-for column, you don’t have to be a football genius to work out that’s where our issues are.

“I was worried about six games ago that we weren’t creating the chances. We are now but we’re not finishing them off.

“They’ve definitely got the ability to do it but we’re not working the goalkeeper enough and hitting the target.

“From a defensive point of view in the first-half, we let the ball bounce too many times and that resulted in their goal.”