DARING to dream, City fans?

Just when the season looked like fizzling out, Worcester made the most of the solid base that has been present for months by weaving sporadic-but-decisive magic.

In truth, there were only three moments of quality in what was a pretty dull watch but each of them resulted in City goals as John Snape’s men found the ruthless edge that has been missing all too often this season.

It may well have arrived too late to matter but given most hearts and heads had ruled out a top-two finish the determination not to wilt in the heat of battle against Highgate was more than admirable.

The win was more than warranted even if the scoreline slightly flattered City.

Highgate must be kicking themselves though.

Having spent some 20 minutes on the front foot, their own ill-discipline, moaning and indulgence in needless, niggling fouls broke up their own momentum at a time when City may have started to creak.

It led to the rest of the first half petering out and Worcester came out with clear, composed minds for the second.

Nathan Hayward released Jamie Smith down the left and Highgate, on the back of wading through a fixture backlog, simply could not stay with their runners.

Smith’s pull back found the perfectly-timed run of Mat Birley who lashed inside Brad Catlow’s near post just past the hour.

United almost hit straight back when Reece Hewitt escaped down the left to find bright spark George Curry in the middle to pelt the upright a minute later but that was about it for their attacking endeavours.

It was all smiles nine minutes later when a rapier break saw Dave Reynolds feed Alex Tomkinson who quickly diverted into the hard-working Nick Turton to nudge his first City goal past Catlow.

Seeing the recent recruit come good seemed to give everyone a lift with the visitors resigned to their fate and another eye-catching team goal rounded off the scoring with eight minutes to play.

Reynolds, who had endured a tough afternoon personally, rolled into Birley whose vision assisted a lovely ball in to Tomkinson to beat Catlow at the near post from the left of the box.

Highgate remain in pole position to follow champions Bromsgrove Sporting out of the division, needing six points to see off the challenge of City.

They now travel to an out-of-sorts Sporting Khalsa tonight before hosting a Shawbury United team seemingly doomed to relegation on Saturday.

From there, they tackle a double-header against Coventry United on Monday, April 30, and Saturday, May 5.

Third-placed Coleshill Town, 7-0 winners against rock-bottom Rocester on Saturday, trail Highgate by a point with four to play.

They need seven points to see off City but must do it the hard way with each of their remaining fixtures being on the road.

Thursday’s trip to Heanor Town is followed by going to Coventry Sphinx on Saturday.

The return with Rocester comes next on Tuesday, May 1, before journeying to Shawbury on Saturday, May 5.

All City can do is win their final three and hope.

They round off their home campaign against Rocester on Tuesday (7.45pm), travel to Quorn on Saturday and then head to South Normanton Athletic on Saturday, May 5.