RELIEVED manager Carl Heeley lifted the lid on Worcester City’s “torturous” season after they retained their Vanarama National League North status.

City lost 2-0 to AFC Telford United on Saturday after an own goal from Tom Sharpe and a late strike from Sean Clancy at the New Bucks Head Stadium.

But thanks to third-from-bottom Brackley Town drawing 1-1 at Curzon Ashton, Worcester’s haul of 47 points from 41 games was enough to steer them to safety.

Heeley admitted his players had “hit a brick wall” after beating 1-0 Hednesford Town earlier this month as they then suffered three successive defeats.

And he said he will be pleased to draw what he has described as a “physically and mentally draining” campaign to a close when they take on AFC Fylde at Aggborough next Saturday.

“I am relieved we now know we have retained our status,” he said.

“I thought the job was done after Hednesford, but you keep looking at it and you think we have got to make it safer.

“We had a great run prior to that, but we have been disappointing in the last few games and I always felt that we needed results from elsewhere to get us over the line.

“Fortunately, it has gone our way.

“We looked physically and mentally drained and with that you get a tired-looking performance.

“No matter what you say you can’t raise anything or get a response and there were a number of players out there who were going through the motions and not doing what they can do at their very best.

“But it is not about the last four games, it is about the previous 37 and after 41 games we are safe and that’s all I am bothered about.”

This season has seen City experience the highs of lifting the Worcestershire Senior Cup for the first time since 1997 and reaching the first round of the FA Cup where they lost Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

However, Heeley revealed the campaign had taken its toll on him and his coaching staff as Worcester struggled to stave off the threat of relegation and manage a poor disciplinary record, which saw them rack up 12 red cards.

“It has been draining and incredibly hard work,” he said.

“An unbelievable amount of hours has gone into it of which me, Matt (Gardiner) and Snap (John Snape) and our families have suffered as a result of it.

“Unless you are on the inside and you appreciate that it is difficult to explain to people.

“The positives have been that we started off in pre-season winning the senior cup and obviously the FA Cup run was brilliant.

“But I can’t wait to see the back of this season, so let’s get next week out of the way and let’s try and go out on a high.

“But it has been a torturous season and 5pm next Saturday can’t come quick enough.”