IF there is to be a turning point in Worcester City’s fortunes this season, defeat at Bradford Park Avenue might just have been it.

Should the Blue and Whites go on to avoid relegation from Skrill North, they may well look back to that horror show as the moment things had to change.

For so crushing was the 6-1 defeat in Yorkshire that it has led to three new players arriving in the space of two days this week ahead of Saturday’s trip to Histon.

Had Worcester gone down, say, 2-1 at the Horsfall Stadium, or even picked up a point had Ethan Moore struck with the score at 1-1, it might have papered over the cracks.

A false sense of security that the team would rally and shake themselves out of their slumber might have prevailed. Until the next defeat.

For the first time publicly, Heeley was critical of his team’s character after the Bradford loss, saying he felt “embarrassed” by the performance.

While few would have predicted such a drubbing, the Worcester boss went on to cite matches against Oxford City and Gloucester when he felt his players had “gone under”.

So, for him, last Saturday was the straw that broke the camel’s back and this week he has acted before it is too late to salvage the situation.

Going down isn’t really an option as far as the future of the club is concerned and there is still time to drag themselves to safety.

The board must know this and, despite meagre resources, might have to come up with some short-term cash to protect the long-term goal.

Utility player Aaron Brown, striker Kristian Ramsey-Dickson and centre-half Jamie Grimes, the latter on loan from Kidderminster Harriers, have all signed.

More could follow although players may have to leave in order to balance the books.

Should that trio, as expected, make their debuts at Histon, it will take the number of players used by City this season to 38.

That is a sizeable figure, even for a non-league side, and does not include several others who have been registered without playing, such as keeper Sam Hawker.

But few would care if the number was double that if it ensured Worcester survive in the second tier of the pyramid.