Worcester City 0 Bradford Park Avenue 1.

IF ANY Worcester City fans thought they were in for a smooth ride in the second half of the season, then they received a rude awakening on Saturday.

After watching 96 minutes of what looked like ending in a bore draw against lowly Bradford Park Avenue, City’s hardy supporters had seen enough.

But their misery was compounded when Nicky Boshell smashed the ball home on the half volley with almost the last kick of this turgid affair at a sodden Victoria Ground.

The stoppage-time strike secured Avenue a vital victory in their fight for survival and delivered an almighty dent in Worcester’s hopes of playing no part in a relegation scrap in Vanarama National League North this season.

A win would have taken 17th placed City eight points clear of third-from-bottom Avenue with two games in hand.

But a loss has left them hovering just two points above the drop zone and some fans fearing the worst after this dismal display.

To add to Worcester’s woes, they have got a lengthy injury list and with centre-back Sam Oji beginning his three-match ban they were almost unable to field a match-day 16.

So desperate times call for desperate measures - and that came in the form of a surprise recall for Sean Geddes.

Although the attacking midfielder will always have a special place in the City faithful’s hearts following his exploits in the 2014/15 campaign, there was a sense of bemusement to see the 24-year-old, who is now playing for Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division side Sutton Coldfield Town, fill a spot on the bench.

Heeley will be left further depleted when top scorer Lee Hughes misses their next four games after seeing red in their 2-1 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers last weekend.

But the 40-year-old striker looked determined to make amends in the opening stages against Avenue as he flashed an early shot wide after getting away from his marker.

Ebby Nelson-Addy also missed a good opportunity in the opening 15 minutes when he just failed to turn home Cieron Keane’s teasing cross.

But it was Avenue who were doing most of the pressing as City’s midfield failed to take a stranglehold of the game, while their defence struggled to clear their lines.

Towering centre-back Shaun Killock was the visitors’ biggest threat as he twice headed wide from corners in the first half before nodding over shortly after the interval.

Hughes came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock for City on 66 minutes when his far-post header was impressively turned onto the upright by Jon Worsnop.

Jordan Murphy, who delivered the cross for Hughes, gave Worcester much-needed impetus after replacing Nelson-Addy.

Keane and Tyler Weir were also combining well down the left, while fit-again Colby Bishop made a welcome return when he came off the bench along with Geddes, who made a late cameo.

It was the Blue and Whites, though, who were digging deep in injury-time as Keane heroically blocked the ball on the line in a goalmouth scramble.

However, with seconds left, City suffered late agony as Ethan Ross failed to get a firm enough punch to a cross and Boshell was on hand to net a dramatic winner.