Manager fires warning after 5-1 defeat

MANAGER Neil Young has warned some of the players they are fighting for their places in the squad after describing his side's defending in the second half of Saturday's (July 18) 5-1 home defeat to Altrincham as worst than Sunday League standard.
"The players have been left in no doubt about my feelings and they've been told to buck up or be shipped out," he told me.
"Some of them have got two weeks to prove to me they want to stay at the club.
"After reaching the play-offs last season the fans now have high expectations for next season and the players need to show they are capable of carryinging those expectations.
"I was quite happy with our first half performance against a strong Altrincham side when we twice had efforts kicked off the line and their keeper made a couple of fine saves from Rob Hopley, but our defending in the second half was just not acceptable. We didn't even do the basics right.
"We have played quite well in the first half all three games so far against strong opposition, but we need to start showing that for 90 minutes."
He is looking for a big improvement in the remaining games starting at Denbigh on Tuesday (July 21).
Meanwhile, the Bay are waiting to hear the results of x-rays on Lee Davey who injured his shoulder in Saturday's defeat.
Complications with my broken leg means I am still unable to get to games at the moment, but I am told the Bay held their own in the first half in front of a crowd of over 350, but the visitors went in front just before half-time with an opportunist header.
Once the Bay started to make changes, with experienced players like Tim Brandreth, Carl Clampitt and Adriano Rigoglioso coming off to give other players a run out, Altrincham took advantage. They switched from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and scored three quick goals before the Bay pulled one back through Tom McGill from a Lee Hammond corner.
Altrincham then added a fifth with their goals shared by Colin Little (2), and trialists Paul McManus (2) and Ben Muirhead.
I understand Jimmy Kelly, who was captain for the day, had an excellent game for the Bay.