Prescot Cables manager Kevin Lynch has called for patience and shares the fans disappointment after City of Liverpool ran riot in their own backyard.
The second half capitulation saw the Purps net four times as Lynch’s side edged deeper in the relegation dogfight.
It added their third straight defeat after beating Mossley in mid-November when Lewis Buckley bagged a brace with Liam Tollett adding to the scoreline in a 3-1 win.
Last weekend’s harrowing defeat sees Cables six points off safety as they travel to play-off chasing Clitheroe on Saturday.
On the eve of the clash, they added three with Ryan Colvin returning permanently from Bolton Wanderers, Tom Moore and John Shaw.
“I thought the performance up until the 42nd minute was an even game, I thought we were definitely in the game,” Lynch told Off The Park.
“The first two were in quick succession, what we’ve tend to have found because of the position we’re in and the lads we’ve had their heads start dropping and I think that was a bit of the case.
“We went into the second half 2-0 down but we lost an integral part with Liam Hollett going off and we didn’t have the centre half to cover and that’s what us in the end.
“Definitely lack of experience [contributed to defeat] and I think they feel a little bit sorry for themselves at times when the goals go in, the manner of the goal because the first two were poor ones to concede especially at that time of the game.
“I think because of that had a negative affect and we didn’t have that leadership or character on the pitch to rally the troops and stuff like that. I can only do so much on the touchline but you do need leaders on the pitch.”
The former Marine manager took over in October after succeeding Craig Davies after Lee Bignell’s caretaker stint came to an end.
After a slow start, he is beginning to see improvements in Knowsley.
He added: “If you look at most successful teams, they’ve been together quite some team.
“They’ve got the stability of a team, at the moment we’re not quite there because of the quality of players that we had, the dressing room, morale was low when I inherited everything so it’s all of them facts and until you can stabilise the team, get the characters in the team and build that dressing room spirit then you’re always going to go through a bit of pain before we can see the green shoots that are appearing.
“When you look at some of the performances since I’ve been in, first half at Bootle I thought we was the better team so we went in in front. We went to Newcastle Town and it only looked like one team was going to win the game, until 94th-minute lump into the box we didn’t deal with it, come away with nothing.
“We went to Leek who are flying high, done really well, better team and come away with the draw. Played Mossley, who are up there and beat them. It’s just the fact of when them goals go in, it’s the character that you have to come back from and that’s what we just need to do, we’re lacking that little bit of character on the pitch and experience that can grab the game by the scruff the neck and settle it down.
“I can definitely see the green shoots in terms of the players we’ve brought in are enhancing. We are getting a bit more of a togetherness but still lacking quality in certain areas that are costing us.
“One of the big eye-openers, when I come in, was the budgets you’re competing with. We was good enough to sit enough of the fans forum after the game when any other manager would’ve shirked away from that, sitting in front of the fans and being grilled by then as I said it was just open and honest.
“We’re one of the lowest budgets within the league, when you’re trying to attract the players with that little bit of experience they come with they want money. If you’re paying players £30 then you’re going to get young, naive players and it’s just unfortunate this is where we are with this club at this moment in time.
“So it’s difficult when you’re trying to recruit experienced and seasoned at that level, it does come at a cost and that’s where we’re at.
Lynch called on the fans to remain patient and emphasised his commitment to be the man to take Cables forward and away from danger: “It’s staying patient, with the team, with us. Without the fans the club’s nothing, I know they’re disappointed and I share the pain of the disappointment because I’m a winner, I’m Prescot through and through.
“It started me off on my career by bringing me from amateur football from Waterloo Dock and it give me the platform to bigger and better things. The club means an awful lot to me, that’s why I went in to become the manager because it’s not just a case of ‘I’m the manager of Prescot Cables’ I’m Prescot through and through.
“I went to the club on the depths of despair, we got the ground back, me and Wacker played there for nothing, helped build the stand, when Wigan was getting their new ground we picked up all the seats, I was on the ground it doesn’t just mean I’m the manager and doing this and this, it means an awful lot to me.
“I share the pain and my team represent me, I just need the time and it will represent them. They’re hardworking people, working-class people, they spend their hard-earned money here and I want my players to show the character and fight that represents them.
“It’s hard at this present moment when you go into a team midway through the season and then you’re faced with the dressing room that I’ve had, the morale of the team, standard, it does take time. It’s a difficult team but it’s nothing we’re going to shirk from, I just the fans belief, I said I’d sit in and have a pint with them to share that because I do feel their pain. They’ve just got to stay with us and stay with the team.”
They travel to Lancashire on Saturday looking to hand them their first league defeat in five as the hosts look to strengthen their grip on the play-off positions.
But for Lynch, he has affirmed his side’s belief going into the clash.
“I’d just say you’ve got to have the belief. We spoke at training, this isn’t the time to feel sorry for yourselves, a time to be doom and gloom and looking at that it’s about time we all and the players rolled the sleeves up, stood up and be counted.
“I don’t beat them with a big stick, I want them to express themselves, to get their chest out, smile on their face and going into these sort of games like Clitheroe, Marine, Market Drayton, Runcorn Linnets coming up, it’s not a case of being fearful or anything but about having belief.
“Everyone makes mistakes, you will make mistakes but it’s how you react and I don’t want shrinking violets, I want people to stand up and be counted and that’s what the message was to the players.
“I’ll back the players 100 per cent, it’s about giving them the confidence belief and showing it against Clitheroe. It’ll be a tough game, but it’s nothing we’re going into fearful or afraid but we’ve got to go in there with confidence.”
[Featured image: Nick Gerrard]
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