FRUSTRATED Nantwich Town manager Steve Davis has warned his side that his patience will not last for ever as they bid to bounce back to form at Curzon Ashton tonight.
Davis is unhappy with his team's inability to stop the goals flowing past them. They were 2-0 down inside four minutes at Stone Dominoes on Friday and lost 4-2.
'It is very frustrating,' he said. 'We go through things in training and come the match the players just do something completely different.
'Some of them are young and it is their first season at this level of football. I do protect them a lot because of that, but I think if I am seeing this next season, some of my comments will change. You can't keep conceding goals like this.'
A strong left-footed strike from Andy Brownsword stunned the Dabbers on two minutes, and Dave Shaw made it 2-0 a minute later.
Nantwich kept plugging away and looked dangerous but the leaky rearguard conceded again, thanks to another top finish from Shaw.
Melvin Morrison gave Town hope before half-time, but it was ended when Steve Bowers struck on 51 minutes. Matt Blake's 88th-minute strike was a mere consolation.
Nantwich face ninth-placed Curzon tonight and host fourth-placed Ramsbottom on Saturday. nAlsager Town boss Greg Clowes has urged his players to avoid a repeat of last season's poor finish and surge for a top-five spot.
The club is approaching the season's final stages in fine fettle. The firsts have clambered to seventh while the reserves and U18s have earned cup final places.
Clowes said: 'We were fifth for most of last season and then ruined it. We can catch the teams in front of us, and fifth is a possibility. We are getting goals from all over the pitch and just need to keep going.'
Goals from Paul Ireland and Wayne Brotherton secured a 2-1 win in a tricky match with Atherton LR on Saturday. Their fourth victory on the trot was tough.
A goalless first half was bettered in the second and Ireland got his second goal in two games with a neat header from eight yards. Brotherton's volley came with 10 minutes left and although Atherton hit back on 84 minutes, the result was never in doubt.
Town were entertaining Great Harwood as the Chronicle went to press last night. They go to Glossop on Saturday and St Helens on Tuesday.
