CONCERNED manager Carl Heeley insisted he did not learn anything new about his Worcester City team after slumping to a dismal 3-0 defeat at FC Halifax Town.

Goals from Kevin Roberts, Josh Wilde and Tom Denton saw 10-man Halifax put City, who had Cieron Keane and Lee Hughes sent off in the second half, to the sword.

Heeley admitted he was “concerned” his side had only picked up one point from their first three games, having also lost 1-0 to Tamworth in midweek and drawn 2-2 with Harrogate Town on the opening day of the National League North season.

But the City boss said he had no complaints with the result at the Shay Stadium as the home side ran out convincing winners.

“It is a concern that we have got one point but we knew it was a daunting start and it was going to be tough,” he said.

“I haven’t learnt anything I didn’t know before we got here.

“To get a result at these places, you have got to have everybody on it for 90 minutes doing their job and not switching off. Unfortunately, we switched off which gave them the impetus.

“Their second goal was very fortuitous and then it was game over after that.

“We have had situations, particularly in the second half, when we have not punished them, so it could have been a different game as they were decent opportunities.

“But overall it is the correct result.”

City spent a period of the game with a man advantage after Cliff Moyo saw red following a mis-timed tackled on Richard Batchelor on 25 minutes.

But they did not force keeper Steven Drench into a save until the 68th minute when he denied substitute Chekaine Steele.

“It was very tough as they are a good side,” Heeley added.

“We had a game-plan and set out with a number of things we wanted to do.

“We knew Denton would be a threat in the air and they get good ball into him but the key thing was to stay with their midfield runners and that’s exactly how their goal came.

“It was a good quality ball into big Denton. He has nodded it down and they have got a midfield runner on to it and we didn’t stay with him.

“They got rightly sent down to 10 men and we saw a little bit more of the ball but in all honesty we didn’t work their goalkeeper.

“They were a very difficult side to break down.”