AFC Telford United 2 Worcester City 0.

THE SUBDUED reaction from Worcester City’s players and staff when they found out they had finally retained their Vanarama National League North status said it all.

While AFC Telford United celebrated wildly after discovering third-from-bottom Brackley Town had failed to beat Curzon Ashton, City – whose safety also hinged on that result - looked embarrassed to even raise a smile.

For the third successive game, Worcester slumped to a disappointing defeat as an own goal from Tom Sharpe and a late strike from Sean Clancy clinched Telford a 2-0 win in front of an excitable New Bucks Head Stadium crowd.

But fortunately for Carl Heeley’s men, Danny Shaw’s late equaliser for Curzon helped them avoid a nerve-jangling end-of-season battle against AFC Fylde at Aggborough next Saturday.

After beating Hednesford Town earlier this month, Heeley said it would need “a unique sequence of results” to send his side down.

But his relegation worries quickly resurfaced after ill-disciplined performances against Bradford Park Avenue and Lowestoft Town.

And when Brackley went ahead and Sharpe put the ball in the back of his own net on 76 minutes, Heeley’s worst fears looked like they might be realised.

As well as being bereft of confidence, City were without joint-manager Matt Gardiner who had been placed on temporary leave after Kidderminster Harriers asked him to become their new head coach.

The timing could not have been worse for Worcester as Heeley, back in sole charge, tried to rally his troops for the big game.

Despite being in a stronger position than five teams below them also battling for survival, 15th placed City looked suffocated by the fear of losing.

Eighteenth-placed Telford, meanwhile, had the bit between their teeth as they came out firing.

The hosts bossed the first half without really troubling Nathan Vaughan in the City goal, though.

Josh Wilson smashed a good chance over the crossbar on 10 minutes before Vaughan had to be on his toes to tip over Curtis Tilt’s header.

Danny Jackman went the closest for City when he played a one-two with Wayne Thomas before firing straight at James Montgomery.

But City spent most of the opening period camped inside their own half and that continued after the break as Connor McCarthy went in search of the opener.

Vaughan pulled off a smart stop to deny McCarthy at his near post, but moments later Telford broke the deadlock.

McCarthy fired in a dangerous low cross which Sharpe could only divert past his own goalkeeper. The defender had his head in his hands knowing the possible consequences of that own goal.

To make matters worse, David Moyo had given Brackley the lead to put City in further trouble.

Everyone seemed to have one eye on the goings on at Curzon Ashton and when Shaw levelled on 81 minutes both sets of fans, who had been anxiously checking their phones, celebrated.

Telford deservedly added a second at the death when City failed to deal with a cross from the left and Clancy struck from 10 yards out.

But the agony was not over until the final whistle blew in Ashton-under-Lyne to confirm both teams were staying up.