Fed-up Spalding RFC skipper Harry Sharman has launched a scathing attack on his team after seeing them slump to a seventh successive Midlands One East defeat.
Town blew a 17-15 lead against struggling Mansfield at the Memorial Field on Saturday as they went on to be battered 50-24 in front of their own fans.
Respected captain Sharman, who has defended his team-mates to the hilt despite their poor run of form, admits that he couldn’t believe what he saw from the sidelines.
In a brutally honest assessment, he accused some players of not being fit to wear the shirt – and admitted he can’t currently see any light at the end of their winless tunnel with a trip to bitter rivals Market Rasen and Louth next on Saturday (3pm).
“Saturday was bitterly disappointing,” bemoaned the injured ace, who is almost ready to return from a broken nose. “Up until now, I’ve defended the team.
“But I simply can’t any more. It was embarrassing at times and a lot of the players let the club down.
“When you see a young lad like Will Shields getting stuck in and tackling men twice his size, then look at established players shirking their duties, you can’t sit back and say nothing.
“We were playing a Mansfield side low on confidence – but we allowed them to batter us. Some of the players don’t deserve to wear the shirt at the moment.
“Something has to change. But Rasen will be looking at our results and laughing. They’ll expect to turn us over – and if we play anything like Saturday, I can’t see anything other than another defeat.”
Jay Harwood (shoulder), Ben Hoyles (leg) and Sion Williams (knee) all joined Ben Williams (ribs) and Sharman (nose) on the injury table after picking up knocks at Mansfield and are doubts.
