AFC Fylde 4 Worcester City 2

NOMADIC, cash-strapped and now relegated.

Worcester City find themselves in undoubtedly their sorriest state in their 115-year history.

While AFC Fylde celebrated their title success in front of more than 2,500 adoring supporters City’s forlorn fans contemplated a first relegation in 32 years.

Having not won at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground since November and gone on a club record 17-match winless streak it is perhaps no surprise Worcester failed to avoid the drop.

But their problems run much deeper than what happens on the pitch and need to be addressed sooner rather than later if they are to return to English football’s sixth tier.

After a summer which saw City’s board and supporters’ trust at loggerheads over the club’s future Carl Heeley was left to put together a squad under a cloud of uncertainty.

He gave his all and managed to steer the Blue and Whites to as high as 12th position.

But with injuries mounting and little money to work with Heeley called it a day in late January, ending his seven-year reign as manager.

Shortly after his departure star striker Lee Hughes was allowed to leave as Worcester’s bosses agreed to put all the team up for transfer in a bid to drastically cut costs.

It looked like sounding the death knell to City’s season but caretaker boss John Snape along with the assistance of Danny Jackman did not stop believing.

And apart from a lame display at Altrincham the players did not stop fighting and running their hearts out to keep City up.

So after 41 league games City arrived at Mill Farm on the final day of the season needing to better Gainsborough Trinity’s result at FC United of Manchester to survive.

And Snape’s men threatened to pull off what would have been the ‘Great Escape’ given their adversity.

With less than two minutes on the clock Jordan Keane picked out Ebby Nelson-Addy with a fine floated delivery.

The midfielder brought the ball under control before poking it home after Rhys Taylor saved his first effort.

But the champions soon woke up and levelled the scores on 21 minutes as David Morgan’s fizzing delivery was turned in by Matt Blinkhorn.

Individual mistakes have blighted City’s campaign and they added another on 35 minutes.

Sam Oji unforgivably passed straight to the league’s most clinical striker Danny Rowe who showed no mercy as he slammed in his 50th goal of the season.

Trailing 2-1 at half-time Worcester were staring relegation in the face.

But they responded superbly as Jordan Murphy was brought down by Taylor and Weir calmly dispatched the penalty.

The leveller filled City with hope but they fell behind again on 56 minutes. Andy Bond was found free at the back post and netted from close range.

News of Trinity losing heavily at FC United filtered through, meaning a draw would have been enough for City to move out of the bottom three on goal difference.

But they could not find the finishing touch as both Nelson-Addy and Murphy spurned chances before Fylde landed a final nail in the coffin with Richie Baker firing past Nathan Vaughan late on.

The victory capped off a brilliant season for the Lancashire outfit who are well on their way to achieving their goal of playing in the Football League by 2022.

City’s supporters, meanwhile, will be hoping their club will still be in existence by then.