Manager Jimmy Dean is struggling to understand how his Spalding United team continue to ship goals at an alarming rate.
Hopes of a money-spinning FA Trophy run were dashed on Saturday when they slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Alvechurch at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
“Defensively it’s the same thing,” lamented Dean. “That’s the last six goals conceded now all down to defensive errors.
“It is difficult to comprehend and legislate for because we aren’t going to score three every week to make up for it.”
Saturday’s defeat came despite Dean switching tactics to field five defenders.
“The Trophy is not the be-all and end-all for me, it never was. It was about momentum of results and performances.
“Fitness-wise, apart from one or two players, we looked better. We looked stronger but the goals we’re conceding have to stop, otherwise we won’t get out of the trouble we’re in.”
Dean said his team had lost the little momentum they had built up after his appointment in August and now faced a real battle to keep clear of the drop zone.
They face Southern League Premier Central Division bottom club Hitchin Town on Saturday and Dean said: “It’s a real six-pointer. We’re at a point now where we’re either going to get dragged back into it or get out of the relegation zone and kick on.”
His summary is spot on because with the table still tight as it nears the quarter-gone stage, a win would lift the Tulips towards mid-table, but defeat would leave then just two points off the bottom.
Their opponents have just one win to their name and have lost seven of their nine games.
However, only two teams have conceded more goals that the Tulips, while just one has scored fewer as they continue to battle against a swift return to the lower level they escaped from last season.
After a goalless first half on Saturday, Spalding fell behind when Sam Warburton stabbed the ball into the path of Callum Sullivan to score.
Alvechurch had former Spalding striker Dan Sweeney sent off when he was booked for a foul after an earlier caution for dissent.
Spalding made the most of that one-man advantage when they pulled level with 15 minutes to go when Joe Nyahwema’s cross got the better of Ronnie Hollingshead.
However, David Solademi then profited from Warburton’s poor clearance to score the winner with five minutes remaining.
Hopes of a lifeline were spurned in stoppage time when Bart Cybulski’s penalty was saved by Hollingshead.
Tulips: Breeden, Brown, Warburton (Dawes), Cartwright (Nyahwema), Stainfield, Walker, Clifton, Hilliard, Cybulski, Nicholson (Sani), Tomlinson (Bennett). Sub: Winters.
Attendance: 336.
