WORCESTER City got what they deserved in losing 4-0 to Stockport County, according to manager Carl Heeley.

The Blue and Whites trailed 3-0 at half-time and, despite a slight improvement in the second period, were unable to find a way back.

It ended a run of five games unbeaten and dropped them to 19th in the Skrill North table after 11 games.

Heeley was impressed with lowly Stockport but felt that was no excuse for a lack of effort from his players.

The City boss said: “Looking at their league position, I think clearly it’s their best performance of the season by some distance and that coincided with us, for the first time in a dozen games, not really turning up.

“We were way off it and thoroughly deserved what we got. Stockport are going to fly up the table, they just needed that kick-start but I didn’t see that coming with us because the one thing we’ve done in the previous games is compete.

“We’ve been in every game and only been beaten by the odd goal in the ones we’ve lost.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t turn up. I can accept you lose games and have off-days but I thought Stockport worked harder than us in the first-half and passed the ball better, looked more of a threat and in every area they out-battled us.

“A prerequisite in football is you work hard and I thought we were out-worked in the first-half and that’s the disappointing thing for me.

“It’s the first time it’s happened so we can’t be too critical.”

Ebby Nelson-Addy and Aaron Williams were half-time replacements for Richard Taundry and Niall Thompson as Worcester sought a way back.

“I don’t like dragging lads off at half-time and I told Richard and Niall that but we just needed to try and get a spark,” Heeley explained.

“I thought the only one who came out with any credit over the 90 minutes was Ellis Deeney.

“Him aside, we could have swapped any of the other 10 at half-time.”