IT'S at times like this when you have got to be positive and dig deep for precious points.

I can only describe our record since the turn of the year as absolutely horrendous and it's perhaps not surprising that the media are now starting to mention us in terms of relegation.

That, I suppose, is the story at the moment. But believe me, here at Aggborough, we are certainly not thinking along those lines.

We know exactly what we've got to do which is, I would say, get another four points and we've got seven games to do it, starting this weekend with a home match against Shrewsbury.

I know we have just narrowly lost to them at the Gay Meadow, but I firmly believe that it is a winnable game for us on Saturday.

Of course, you never envisage going through a spell like we are having at the moment with just two wins in our last 18 league outings. It's horrendous and you would never have dreamt of it happening, but there's no getting away from the fact that it has. We can't hide from it and what we mustn't do is make excuses.

But, above all, we are determined to make sure we get things right.

Yesterday we had a full-scale practice match at Aggborough because I wanted the players to be presented with the problems they have been having in games.

It was more or less the same team that played on Saturday at Exeter against everybody else.

I played myself because it gives you a better picture of how they are playing, what's wrong and what needs to be done.

I must say, though, that we are at the stage now where we are desperate for a win.

After losing our last two games we are back at a stage where we have been a lot of the times this season, being the better team but still losing.

And I think that's been the case against both Exeter and Shrewsbury.

After the defeat on Saturday, though, there was a different atmosphere in the dressing room because of the way the game finished.

Firstly, there was Dean Bennett's late goal followed by the chance from Stewart Hadley where the keeper, to be fair, made a great one-handed save.

Then, of course, there was Scott Stamps' sending off so everybody was agitated and I can understand the players' feelings.

I think we probably did deserve something out of the game, but that doesn't detract from the fact that we allowed them to score two early goals. We started to play to play after the game was lost within the opening 15 minutes. And to be fair to the players we did play well afterwards.

We knocked it about and created some great chances, but we should have played from the very first minute.

I'm convinced that if we had done that then we would have won the game, but we allowed them to win it first and then we started to play.

After their two goals there was nothing for us to lose and it was just a case of giving it everything we had got.

Still, what happened is history now and we have got to get on with things and focus everything on our forthcoming match with Shrewsbury.

I can assure fans that I will be doing everything in my power to make sure that we get the three points we desperately need.

Before then, though, we've a match against Moor Green at Aggborough tomorrow in the semi-final of the Worcestershire Senior Cup.

Whatever match we play in we want to win and it goes without saying that Wednesday will be no exception. See you there -- and remember to back the lads to the hilt on Saturday.

It's a times like this when supporters can play a big part in helping to restore confidence.