MATT Taylor admitted the Moors need a win ‘as soon as possible’ after slumping to another defeat at Damson Park.
Gateshead travelled back to the north-east with three points after two penalties helped them chalk up a 3-1 win.
Only a late consolation from Fletcher Holman put any gloss on a scoreline that the Moors’ head coach admitted could have been ‘harsher’ at the interval.
Despite issues with injury, the Moors have now lost seven out of eight and five out of six under Taylor.
They have picked up just one point – from a 1-1 draw against Wealdstone – since a 2-0 victory over Tamworth on New Year’s Eve. The club hasn’t tasted victory in 2025.
Taylor said the players were hurting but said the display wasn’t up to the required level.
He said: “We weren’t first to enough balls. One-nil at half-time didn’t reflect our performance we could have gone in to a harsher scoreline.
“Ultimately, it comes down to the errors we’ve have made. We’ve conceded two penalties. The first is a stonewall, the second one I can’t see how he has given it.
“But, let’s be honest, that’s not the reason we have lost.
“I just felt we didn’t win enough 50-50s, we weren’t strong enough. We didn’t crunch the pitch well enough.
“The players are in a lot of pain. They’re in a bad way because they understand the performance wasn’t good enough.
“They can’t go into their shells, we’ve got another big game on Tuesday.
“The result is nowhere good enough for the standards set at this football club.”
Striker Conor Wilkinson made himself available – ahead of schedule – and was thrown on from the bench for the last half-hour, grabbing an assist.
But defender Alex Whitmore is a doubt for Tuesday at Aldershot after picking up a strain in his back.
Taylor added: “We have got to pick a team to compete and fight. We’re in a fight. It’s been difficult. I’ll accept criticism.
“The performance level wasn’t anywhere near it for this group of players because they are talented.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves.
“We need to put in a performance that’s worthy of the shirt on our backs.
“Let’s be honest, we have to get a win on the board as soon as possible.”
