Paul McCone: AFC Telford must stick together
Paul McCone insists AFC Telford United's depleted squad needs to pull together and 'do a job and a half' as they aim to get back on track.
The Bucks have gone four games without a win in National League North and their last league triumph was against Darlington on November 19.
They are 18th – three points above the drop zone – and McCone said: "We need to pull together.
"You can put that team on paper and it is a strong team – and we should be higher up in the table.
"We have to do a job and a half at the moment. (Coach) Gav Cowan keeps saying it to us, we need to be doing our own job and then some more to get each other out of trouble.
"There needs to be more of that as there may be some players who are doing just about enough in games at the moment."
Telford lost 3-2 at Alfreton Town on New Year's Day. Josh Wilson scored a penalty, and then missed one, before the Bucks failed to find an equaliser after John-Paul Kissock's goal on the brink of full-time.
As well as the damaging defeat, Bradley Reid and Ben O'Hanlon are due to be recalled by parent club Wolves.
Ben Bailey has a one-match suspension to serve after being sent off for two bookable offences, and Dave Hibbert picked a quadriceps injury.
"We had the chances to score enough goals to win the game," said McCone.
"The first half was not the greatest and the second half we showed a bit more fight but it is one of those situations – it is all going against us."
McCone came on to play in an unfamiliar right-back role at the Impact Arena. He believes all the players need to adapt and work hard, in the hope that the situation will get better.
"Football has a lot to do with luck, and you earn your own luck," he added. "If you work harder, your rewards will come. It may not be this week or next week but if we all keep going, our luck has to change at some point."
