Hume keeps the faith

And Hume is hoping for a dramatic improvement in form when October kicks off with Saturday's home clash with Ashton United after his side picked up a solitary league point from five league outings in the EVO-STIK NPL's top flight and also exited the FA Cup in a replay at nine men Whitley Bay.

Blaming the "fine margins" between winning and losing for his side's slide from second to seventeenth in the top flight tables, Hume admitted on Thursday that "silly mistakes" had cost them dear again in their two away defeats at Grantham and Mickleover.

Matlock were a goal in front until the 87th minute at Grantham before losing 2-1 and Hume said: "That was gut wrenching being ahead so late in the game but on sixty minutes we stopped playing.

"Okay, Danny [Holland] had a knock and Niall [McManus] was on his last feet having worked so hard but we went deeper and deeper. The goals were terrible and hard to take and with all respect to Grantham they're not the best side we'll face this season.

"Again, it's down to individual errors and we must cut these silly mistakes out. We're creating chances and missing ours while we're gifting opportunities to the other side who are taking them".

Matlock held the upper hand in the first half of the 2-0 loss at Mickleover but then fell away after the interval to Hume's frustration.

"We were the better team in the first half but again couldn't produce for a full ninety minutes and again mistakes crept in. But we'll keep on working hard and we'll get it right," said Hume.

"It's down to fine margins, I believe in the players we've got here, we have to stay positive and strong. At the end of the day I'd rather play rubbish and win. We've got to take our chances, hit the trigger a bit more, test the goalkeeper instead of walking it in."

Hume admits he is feeling the pain of this barren run and added: "I'll take the flack, it's not been good enough lately. I hadn't seen it coming after our very good August, now it's a nightmare and I'm feeling it more than anyone, but I'm massively confident in the lads."

The calls of fans for a striker were answered on Tuesday when Sam Smith, who hit 34 goals for Handsworth Parramore last term, arrived on a month's loan from Alfreton to make his debut.

Hume said: "Danny was poorly so we put Sam in despite him not playing much after an injury, and he's got some height that we badly need. Ideally we need another striker and another centre half and I have irons in the fire. Sam did okay and gives us a more balanced attack .I also feel we're too nice at times and I hope to remedy that somewhat soon."

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | The NPL group on Facebook by clicking here: www.facebook.com/groups/TheNPL/