The fight goes on for Spalding United despite seeing rivals Harborough Town celebrate lifting the Southern League Premier Central title on Saturday.
The Tulips had been in a two-way battle for the honours for much of the season but must now get back into winning ways going into the play-offs, when the final promotion place is decided.
Saturday saw Jimmy Dean’s team slump to a 3-1 defeat at home to mid-table Stratford Town, leaving the manager concerned about his players’ appetite for the battle.
“It was probably the worst 35 minutes since I’ve been at the club, which is a big worry,” he said.
“Now’s not really the time you want to be saying that or thinking that. It feels like a long way back here.
“We’ve got to stick together now and look to get some form back and turn this around and have a go at these play-offs.
“It’s now about getting hold of the players and making sure that we still have that opportunity.
“We’ve got a brilliant group of players. We’ve got a brilliant opportunity but it doesn’t mean we’re going to take it.
“There’s got to be a lot of hard work to make sure we’re in the ascendency.
“We’ve really got to take stock and make sure we understand what’s at stake here because I’m not sure enough people do in the dressing room.”
Lewis Ludford-Ison put the visitors ahead after nine minutes but normal service looked to be on the way when Ben Fowkes instantly levelled.
However, it was the away side who grabbed the points with a second from Ludford-Ison seven minutes into the second half before Charles Wragg wrapped things up a quarter-of-an-hour later.
Dean felt his team had probably edged the first half but then lost their way.
“We’ve come out, got into two one-on-ones at the start of the second half, with no real conviction in (the defending for) either of them,” he said.
“We were coming off the back of two wins and hoping we’d get another and go away with three wins behind us to keep building the momentum.
“It hasn’t happened, so when we do come back home in a couple of weeks, we’re really going to need the fans.
“Let’s be honest, these players need a push now. We’ve all got to get behind each other.”
Before that first play-off tie, the Tulips face trips to Leiston and Worcester City, knowing they have now confirmed second place in the final standings, thanks to Real Bedford’s midweek defeat at home to Leiston.
Dean added: “All the focus has got to be getting some form and momentum and really putting ourselves in a position to go and attack these play-offs.
“We’ve all got to show a little bit of backbone. When things get tough and when hard moments come, we need men. We need leaders.”
Tulips: Wilks, White, Olopade, Moore, Johnson, Thompson, Fowkes (Sani), Bendle (Roberts), Cybulski (Akinba), McCammon (Pugh), Ceesay (Sembie-Ferris).
Attendance: 567.
