Defiant player/manager Ian Dunn is refusing to get carried away with Pinchbeck United’s recent dip in form.
The Knights aren’t accustomed to rocky runs following two successive seasons of unprecedented success, but have now suffered back-to-back Future Lions UCL Premier Division defeats against Newport Pagnell (6-3) and Rugby Town (3-0).
That has left them 14 points behind leaders Daventry Town, with Dunn accepting that challenging for the title isn’t really a realistic option for his side this year.
He feels that Daventry and Rugby are a class apart this season, but insists that battling the likes of Deeping Rangers and Holbeach United for places in the top six shows how far his team have come.
“We’re fourth on merit,” insisted the former Spalding United and Holbeach United striker. “We’ve had a cracking start to our first season at this level.
“I said it at the start of the season, but we were always going to have difficult periods in this league.
“That has been the case over the past few weeks, but we’ve had a really tricky run – it was to be expected.
“I think the title is between Daventry and Rugby, they’re at the top for a reason and – in my opinion – are streets ahead of the rest.
“We might not be a top end side at the moment, but we’re still in and around the likes of Deeping Rangers and Holbeach United, which highlights the progress we’ve made.
“Myself and (assistant manager) Allan Ross won’t just accept seeing the side drift away from the top six. We’ll endeavour to keep things going and improve the squad.
“I think we’ve seen that we’re a little short of quality, which is no slight on the lads here.
“We’ve seen what we need and we’ll endeavour to keep improving.
“If we can finish in the top six, you’d have to say it’s a great season for the club.”
Pinchbeck will hope to get back to winning ways in the league when they make the trip to mid-table Oadby Town on Saturday (3pm).
They did manage to snap their three-game losing streak with a battling 3-2 victory at Northampton Sileby Rangers in the Hinchingbrooke Cup on Tuesday night.
Craig Maisiri fired the Future Lions UCL Division One side ahead on 13 minutes, but Lee Beeson ensured the scores were level at half-time with a 36th-minute strike.
Beeson then put the Knights 2-1 up at Fernie Fields with a penalty (64), only for Sileby to level immediately through Marcus Birkelund.
The winner came seven minutes from time from Ewan Fieldhouse, before the hosts had Jack Archer sent off to make the final moments easier for Pinchbeck, who will host old rivals Netherton United in the second round on a date to be confirmed.
Knights: Lovelace, Wilson, Field, Gardner, Gaukroger, Bishop, Beeson, Ogden, Edwards, Maltby, Dunn. Subs used: Fieldhouse, Ross, Josh Smith.
