IT is a sign of how much Worcester City have exceeded expectations this season that there is a slight air of anti-climax around the club.

In most other seasons, the prospect of finishing in the Conference North top 10 would have been welcomed with open arms.

But, having been in and around the top half of the table for much of the campaign and coming within a missed penalty of reaching the FA Cup third round, there is an undoubted feeling of what might have been.

The unforgettable scenes of the replay defeat to Scunthorpe United may be four months ago but it is difficult not to let the mind wander.

Had George Williams, Graham Hutchison and Wayne Thomas still been at the club, might City have maintained their challenge for the play-offs? Could we now be looking forward to a promotion push?

It is the ultimate hypothetical question as far as City are concerned and one that cannot be answered.

The only thing that can be said with any certainty is that the Blue and Whites were a much better team with Williams, now at Barnsley, bombing up and down the right flank.

It was weakened further with the departure to Halifax of Hutchison and Thomas’ move to take up a coaching role in New York pulled the rug from under City’s feet when they least needed it.

Whether they would have continued their fine pre-Christmas form we will never know but it would have been interesting to see.

It would appear manager Carl Heeley has also pondered this conundrum but he had little choice but to cash in on the talents of Williams and Hutchison to the tune of two five-figure fees and nobody is suggesting he shouldn’t.

City may have gone on to reach the play-offs had the pair stayed but, equally, they might not.

As far as Heeley is concerned, that is now in the past and he is determined to cut out the mistakes that blighted the 2-1 defeat to Gloucester City in the final two league games and Tuesday’s Worcestershire FA Senior Cup final.

He said: “Being totally selfish, if we had kept Tommo, Hutch and George, could it have been different? I don’t know but I’m just focusing now on trying to finish the season strongly.

“The basic things are biting us on the backside a little bit and it’s frustrating.

“We’ve lost three quarters of a defence that served us very well throughout the season and we’re now conceding poor goals and when you combine that with not being a great side at taking our chances it’s not surprising that we lost.”

He continued: “I cannot criticise the players for effort but if you don’t do the basics well, defending properly and taking the opportunities when they arise, all that effort and endeavour comes to nothing and that’s what happened.”