Cleator Moor Celtic stay in trouble at the foot of the table after a 2-0 defeat at Ashton Town last night.
They are bottom of North West Counties League Division One North facing a dog fight to stay in the competition.
This was a key defeat, too, as Ashton are just one place above the drop zone.
Manager Brian Dawson said: “It was a really disappointing result as we were 0-0 at half-time and generally thought there was something in it for us.
“But they scored a scrappy goal then killed us off when we were chasing an equaliser.
“In truth we wouldn’t have scored if we were still playing now.
“We are missing a natural goal scorer because we are getting into good areas but we don’t have anyone within the squad with that killer instinct in front of goal.
“There’s no doubt we are short of the type of player who is going to get you a goal out of nothing.”
Ben Glendon put Ashton ahead on 53 minutes and Jordan Coates doubled the advantage on 74 minutes.
It doesn’t get any easier for on Saturday the Hoops travel to St Helens who are just outside the play-offs and in good form.
Indeed Saints are just behind Holker Old Boys who slipped-up last night when they lost 3-1 at home to Euxton Villa who moved ahead of the Furness side on goal difference.
It wasn’t a terminal defeat for Holker have games in hand of all those ahead of them in the other play-off positions.
But it was a disappointing set-back for the Holker side who were 2-0 down at half-time.
Patrick Bibby scored a 21st minute penalty and Dan Singleton doubled the lead six minutes later.
When Singleton grabbed the third goal four minutes into the second-half it really was an up-hill fight for the home side.
Josh Woodend managed to pull one back after 62 minutes but that’s the way it stayed until the end.
On Saturday Holker will be aiming to put things right when they travel to sixth-bottom Atherton LR.
