I KNOW it’s been said a thousand times before but football really is a funny old game. And nothing illustrates that more than Worcester City’s last two games.

In being thumped 4-1 at home by fellow strugglers Hednesford Town on bank holiday Monday, they were bereft of ideas, lightweight in midfield and shambolic at the back.

And then at high-flying Stockport County on Saturday they were anything but clueless.

With three players suspended and others coming back into the squad after injury, the plan was to frustrate the home side and their 3,000 supporters.

That said, City could also have sneaked an unlikely win at the end with new signing Lee Hughes almost silencing the home fans late on and after spending time with rivals Oldham Athletic, that would have been no mean feat.

Stylish Stockport began at a frenzied pace with midfield duo Glenn Rule and Lewis Montrose running the show with passes fizzed out to the wings and others threaded in behind the City defence.

But either their forwards weren’t on the same wavelength or, and this was more often the case, the Worcester defence shut them out in impressive fashion.

The one time they did manage to find a way through, the reliable Nathan Vaughan was blocking their path as he snaffled up long-range efforts with ease in addition to tipping a rising Callum Dyson shot over the crossbar.

All the action was in the City half but it was the visitors who filled the starring roles as the half wore on.

Central defender Tom Sharpe was outstanding, Rob Elvins and Danny Jackman put in excellent defensive shifts in midfield and Alex Gudger, playing out of position at left-back, rose to the occasion.

And then, after soaking up so much pressure, it was Worcester who nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time when Kieran Morris met a corner only to guide his header over the crossbar from 10 yards.

The new strike partnership of Hughes and Nikolay Todorov should have broken the deadlock early in the second-half.

The Nottingham Forest loanee headed on to Hughes, who was in the clear only to miscue – a slight blemish on an otherwise faultless debut full of running and guile.

At the other end Vaughan was called on to keep out efforts from Dyson, Montrose and Jake Kirby with Dyson then putting a low effort just the wrong side of the post.

But as the game wore on Stockport’s chances dried up with an off-target Jordan Thornily header all they could muster in the final quarter.

And they were almost caught napping late on when a delightful ball into the area from Dan Nti had the home defence at sixes and sevens but neither Hughes nor substitute Ryan Rowe could force it over the line.

Injury-time saw a red card for Stockport substitute Lamin Colley for an off-the-ball incident with Gudger. It seemed to sum up County’s frustrations.