BOSS Quentin Townsend called on Pershore Town to cut out the errors ahead of Saturday’s crunch “six-pointer” with backmarkers Coventry Alvis (3pm).

Struggling Town’s 3-0 home defeat to Atherstone on Tuesday brought up an 11th match without victory in all competitions and it came about as a result of some kamikaze defending.

Adders hitman Alex Naughton was heading back towards the corner flag after a near-post set piece had gone wrong but Aaron Xavier needlessly steamed in to concede a 13th-minute penalty which Naughton slotted away.

Pershore created chances with James Walker skewing horribly wide from six yards before Naughton piled on the misery, guiding home Ryan Quinn’s lofted cross with 27 minutes on the clock.

Woodward pawed away Jamie Clarke’s bullet header moments later but the game was up when Steve Webb needlessly shoved Adam Bilic at the back post five minutes before half-time.

Naughton did the honours from 12 yards to bring up his hat-trick and while Pershore played with greater composure in the second half, chances were at a premium until substitute Alfie Bloomer hit the post with the last kick of the game.

“We said at half-time that the game was done,” said Townsend. “We were playing for pride and told the boys to prevent it from becoming four, five or six.

“We knew we had to do something to build for the classic six-pointer on Saturday and to be fair to the lads, they did that. In hindsight it was probably not a 3-0 game but the score does not lie.

“I thought they were both penalties. My lads were arguing but in all honesty they did enough to place enough doubt in the referee’s mind. I had no complaints.

“The two lads know better, diving in and putting your hands up in the box will see you get punished. We cannot expect to win from three down and the game was over by the end of the first half.

“We played really well in the second half and created quite a few bits and pieces. It was one of those games that you have to learn from.

“I don’t want it to be a sob story but these things happen when you’re down at the bottom. The keeper pulled off a couple of good saves and we missed a couple of sitters, the ball just would not fall for us.

“It will come at some stage but we know it needs to come sooner rather than later. I don’t want to be going into Christmas with a real danger of being relegated.

“The form has not been good but we have been up against some of the better sides. Now we have a run of fixtures against the teams around us.

“There is nothing there that overly scares me but we do have to produce in these matches. Coventry Alvis will be a prime opportunity to get some points on the board.

“A couple of wins would push us towards mid-table but we have to make sure we get them, we can’t keep making excuses.”

Pawel Tomczak netted in Pershore's 1-1 draw at Brocton in Midland League Division One on Saturday.

Town: Wilcox, Webb, Xavier, Walker, Griffiths, Mathewson, Morgan, Wilson, Clarke (Taylor, 84), Tomczak (Anagho-Ntamark, 60), Lane (Bloomer, 60). Unused sub: Windsor-Price.

Attendance: 85.