DISAPPOINTED manager Carl Heeley admitted Worcester City’s last-gasp defeat to struggling Bradford Park Avenue was a “sickener” as they slipped closer to the drop zone in Vanarama National League North.

However, he insisted his side’s performance at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground on Saturday “was not good enough” and said he was left “disappointed with the application of one or two players”.

Nicky Boshell struck in the seventh minute of stoppage-time to hand the visitors a dramatic 1-0 victory from what Heeley described as “a terrible game”.

“It was a sickener,” said Heeley, whose 17th placed side are now just two points above third-from-bottom Avenue.

“It was a terrible game. It was the longest hour-and-a-half I have had in my life standing there watching that and I am sure the supporters felt the same.

“We just couldn’t get into any rhythm as the ball was bouncing up all over the place on a pitch which appears to have deteriorated in the last week or so because it wasn’t too bad before.

“But that’s no excuse.

“It could have gone either way as there was chances at both ends, but overall the performance wasn’t good enough from us.”

Heeley said his team, who have suffered a series of injury set-backs, were “desperate to win” as it would have seen them move eight points clear of relegation trouble.

But he felt “the writing was on the wall for the last 15 minutes” as Avenue upped the ante before Boshell netted with virtually the last kick of the game.

“We were desperate to win,” continued Heeley, who has not tasted victory in the league since beating AFC Telford United at home on Saturday, November 12.

“We have had an incredibly tough run of fixtures and Saturday’s game was the first one where you think we should be looking to get three points.

“It hasn’t happened and I am disappointed with our performance and I am disappointed with the application of one or two players.

“You need 11 working hard and for me that wasn’t the case for spells which makes your job tougher, but we will try to deal with that.

“It was a frustrating day and a frustrating result, but the performance was not good enough.”

Striker Lee Hughes came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock on 66 minutes when his header was tipped onto the post by goalkeeper Jon Worsnop.

And Heeley believed a draw would have been a fair result as he reckoned City were also unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty.

“To give their keeper some credit it was an unbelievable save (to deny Hughes) - I don’t know how he kept that out,” he added.

“I could pick hairs and say ‘What have we got to do get a penalty?' Because I think the one on Lee Hughes in the first half was stonewall again.

“But I am clutching at straws and I am certainly not looking for excuses.

“I thought we were unlucky to lose, but we certainly didn’t deserve to win either.”