MANAGER Carl Heeley believes Worcester City were “incredibly unlucky” not to snatch a point after they were edged out 2-1 by leaders AFC Fylde.

A brace from Danny Rowe six minutes before the break proved to be enough for the visitors who moved seven points clear at the top of Vanarama National League North.

However, Heeley felt 13th-placed City were the “better side” for “large periods” at the Victoria Ground having put pressure on Fylde after Cieron Keane scored from a free-kick on 54 minutes.

They also missed a “glorious chance” to deny the Lancashire side all three points when Colby Bishop failed to capitalise on a mistake from defender Josh Langley.

“I thought we were incredibly unlucky not to get something from the game,” said Heeley.

“For large periods of it we were the better side and had the better chances.

“We just got caught with two sucker-punches.

“We could have rolled over but we had a right good go in the second half, got ourselves back in the game and we have had a glorious chance to get ourselves back on level terms, so I can’t ask for much more from them.

“We have competed with the best team in the league and they (Fylde) will go home feeling very fortunate to get the three points.”

But Heeley admitted his side missed “the calibre” of veteran striker Lee Hughes who was ruled out with a knee injury sustained in training.

“We had the impetus and I thought we had some decent situations but again the final ball at times was lacking a little and we maybe made the wrong decision,” he continued.

“Colby had a great chance from a slip from the centre-half but their keeper has come out and smothered well.

“If Lee had that opportunity, he would have probably scored but he turned his knee in training which was a bit of a blow.

“Colby is a totally different player. He is a young lad who is still learning his trade.

“He is going to have situations where he is not going to be clinical but I thought he worked very hard for us.

“It was tight, there was not much in it and I thought we were very unfortunate not to get something.”

Fylde’s potent striker Rowe was largely quiet but still took his tally up to 30 goals in 20 league games.

He opened the scoring on 39 minutes with a 20-yard strike before scoring a “fortuitous” second on the stroke of half-time when he was in the right place to bundle the ball home after Ethan Ross pulled off a stunning save.

“Danny probably had three kicks in the game but that’s all you need when you can finish like that,” added Heeley, who described Rowe as “the best player in the division by a country mile”.

“The second one was slightly fortuitous with the way it dropped to him but for the first one he does that week in, week out.

“He is a goal-scorer so it doesn’t matter how much influence you have on the game if you keep scoring two or three every week.”