WORCESTER City saw their play-off hopes as good as ended as Hyde United defeated them for the second time this season.

With only 11 games of the season remaining, dropping points against a team also challenging for the Blue Square North top five was something City could ill afford.

David Morley, Chris Simm and Gareth Seddon fired Hyde into a commanding lead at Ewen Fields before Matt Dinsmore pulled one back four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Craig Wilding crashed a header against the crossbar as City finished the game in the ascendancy but their late rally was ultimately not enough.

Manager Richard Dryden knew Hyde's three-pronged attack of Matthew Tipton, Seddon and Simm posed a major threat and had drummed the importance of a clean sheet into his defence.

Captain Chris Smith was recalled to the side following injury and he lined up in the centre alongside Jon Munday with Ryan Clarke and Rapinder Gill on either side.

However, within 19 minutes they had failed to pick up skipper Morley at a corner and he headed Hyde, 2-0 winners at St George's Lane on the opening day of the season, in front.

It was a goal that had been coming as City struggled to cope with Hyde's front trio almost from the off and it needed Cameron Belford to keep them out.

The 19-year-old saved twice from Seddon in the early exchanges but was left helpless as Morley arrived to meet Mark Innes' left-wing corner.

Belford's reputation has been growing by the game and he again showed his ability as he produced a stunning reflex tip over to spare Smith from an own goal after the City skipper had deflected Simm's cross goalward.

Belford's opposite number Craig Dootson was then called into action to block from Wilding as the visitors began to make the most of their possession.

But Hyde's pace on the counter was starting to cause City problems and it was at the heart of their second goal.

Within seconds of Dootson saving again from Wilding, this time a header, the ball had broken to Simm at the other end and he held off the clutches of Smith before calmly placing an effort into the top corner. Smith protested that Simm had pulled him back in the build-up but referee Darren Bond was having none of it.

Wilding then turned defender to hack Seddon's shot behind for a corner before Adam Webster, having shaken off a virus last week, struck the post from 18 yards four minutes before half-time.

Troy Wood's introduction for Jamie Price at half-time was a clear signal that City were prepared to go for broke with Dryden switching to a 4-3-3 system.

But, apart from Webster heading George Clegg's corner over, it was Hyde who continued to carve out the best openings as the game opened up.

Seddon, who scored against Hyde's neighbours Stalybridge for City in 2006, sent a dipping volley over, Tipton fired wide when well-placed and Steve Pickford drilled the ball straight at Belford.

It was no surprise that Hyde extended their lead on 63 minutes.

Simm picked out Seddon with a neat pass from left to right and the former Bury man found a cool finish from close range.

City could have been forgiven for letting their heads drop but they kept plugging away with the sort of determination that has seen them claw back deficits on more than one occasion this season.

Nick Colley's introduction for Graham Ward in midfield provided the visitors with a fresh pair of legs and Dinsmore's arrival in place of Webster 17 minutes from time gave City a new lease of life.

Within four minutes the diminutive forward was played in by fellow sub Wood and reduced their arrears.

The teenage pair were now worrying a Hyde defence no doubt wary that they had contrived to ship two late goals in an edgy 4-3 victory against Vauxhall Motors earlier in the week.

The same almost happened again but Wilding's thumping 79th-minute header hit the underside of the bar before rebounding to safety.

That would have set up a frantic finale but, once Belford had tipped over two attempted lobs from substitute Dale Johnson, City were unable to threaten further.