MANAGER Carl Heeley claims Worcester City would be in the play-off positions if they had not made “sloppy mistakes” this season.

City climbed four places to 12th last Saturday, nine points adrift of the top five in Vanarama National League North.

The 4-0 thrashing of second-from-bottom Stalybridge Celtic was the four victory of their league campaign.

However, Heeley admits they have been “architects of their own downfall” this term having lost six of their 14 matches.

“If we had taken out all the sloppy mistakes this season, I think we would be in the play-off positions, so it is frustrating,” said Heeley, whose side ended August at the bottom of the table after no wins in their opening seven games.

“But mid-table is a reflection of where we are. Hopefully, we have got back into our stride over the next two games and we can move on to what is going to be another very tough game up at Darlington on Saturday.”

Heeley said individual errors have “blighted” City’s season but admitted his side had luck on their side against Stalybridge.

They pounced on a mistake for Ebby Nelson-Addy’s goal on 44 minutes before Daniel Wilkins struck the upright at the start of the second half.

“We have been architects of our own downfall at times with indecisiveness from the centre-halves, which is very frustrating for managers, and I am sure the two Stalybridge guys will be frustrated with that (first goal),” he said.

“It gave us something at half-time we probably didn’t deserve because I thought they were the better side.

“But in the second half we probably had a stroke of luck when they hit the post from a great strike and from then on it was a case of how many we were going to score because we had a number of chances and the game really opened up.”

After losing 3-0 to Brackley Town in the FA Cup two weeks ago, City hit back with a 0-0 draw at Boston United and the bumper home win.

“It (the FA Cup defeat) was out of my system the next day,” he continued.

“It needed to get out of the players’ systems because that’s a mental thing but we have done that, got four points and the win on Saturday makes the point last week look great.

“If we can continue scoring goals as we have done all season and keep clean sheets like we have started to, we will climb the table and you can see that after one or two wins.”

Worcester make the long trip north to take on second-placed Darlington on Saturday (3pm) before hosting third-from-bottom Altrincham the following weekend.

“I don’t pay a great amount of attention to the table,” Heeley added.

“The table is a reflection of what you have done over the season.

“We know what we have got to do and what our aims are internally but we just look to win games and let the league table take care of itself.”