Threave Rovers gaffer Vinnie Parker claims his side’s promotion hopes are still alive despite losing to West Park United on Saturday.
Rovers lost 2-1 to leave them six points behind their rivals, with West of Scotland League fourth division leaders Kilsyth Rangers a further three points up the road.
Parker said: “There’s still 36 points to play for, we’ve still got to play everybody again and there’s teams we’ve still to play once.
“The target remains the same to get promoted and get out the league. That’s not changed after Saturday but it makes it tougher.
“We’re going to have to get the sleeves rolled up, we can’t afford many more slip ups and it’s going to be a big test of character now.
“I think it was probably our worst performance of the season. Too many people had an off day and we gave away cheap goals.
“I think for large proportions of the game our quality vacated us and that’s what we’re relying on at this level. We’re never going to match the teams we’re playing against for aggression. We need to rely heavily on our quality and that let us down on Saturday.”
A goal from Steffan Graham gave West Park the lead in the first half, Threave levelling things just before the break when a Tam Coles cross ended up in the net.
But 15 minutes from time Jamie Dodsworth scored what proved to be the winner for the hosts, Threave having Ryan Coates dismissed late on.
Parker said: “It was a massively disappointing afternoon. They were in our faces, they were experienced and well drilled.
“The conditions weren’t great. It was a skiddy surface in the middle of a housing scheme in Bishopbriggs. There was an element of flatness about it in the first 10 or 15 minutes.
“In the first five or 10 minutes, we had ample opportunities to put the ball out the park and be safe but we’ve tried the reverse pass inside our own box and been caught.
“Their striker has taken the ball off our player, beaten two centre halfs, beaten our right back and passed it past the goalkeeper.
“We still had plenty of time to build ourselves back into the game but I don’t feel like we dominated possession the way we usually do.
“We lost Liam Douglas to an elbow to the face which broke his nose and needed to change things. We missed chances, then didn’t defend well at a corner.”
Parker added: “We need to stick to our game plan and try to get three points.”
