WHETHER we like it or not we are in a rut again!

As much as we've tried to ensure we avoid a repeat of previous seasons, we find ourselves slipping off the pace again.

Although the campaign is nearing its end and the pitches are drying up and everybody probably has half an eye on the summer, this is still very much part of the season and we have to get through it.

Three defeats in four games shows just how quickly things can change in football but we've still got three very winnable matches against Eastbourne, Grantham and Cambridge to give us a strong finish to the season.

It's difficult to put a finger on what is exactly going wrong at present. We've wracked our brains, tried freshening things up, talking to the players, all in a bid to ensure we don't tail off but the truth is at the moment we've simply gone off the boil.

Ultimately the players have got themselves into this predicament, and they are the ones that can get us out of it.

Don't forget this is the same bunch that put five past Havant & Waterlooville and Dover as well as four past Grantham.

However the Bank Holiday weekend was one to forget all round. Against Chippenham we didn't play particularly well but still had chances to have won it, notably from the penalty spot.

We haven't been creating an enormous amount of chances lately but on the other hand they don't come much better than from the penalty spot so I was disappointed with Leon Kelly's miss.

It was also a miserable drive home from Stafford on Monday. Once again we got nothing at Marston Road and collectively and individually we are not delivering the goods.

The likes of Adam Wilde and Jai Stanley, who we look to for that bit of spark and creativity, didn't hit form and they are as disappointed as anybody. They're getting targeted by tighter marking, which is a backhanded compliment, but they've got to deal with it.

The players took some justifiable plaudits for their recent good run now they have to take responsibility for the current form because I haven't got a magic formula to put it right.

In simple terms the players have got to do their jobs better. It's their responsibility. It's alright looking for other reasons, or blaming other people, but good performances come from the players doing their job. It always does.

As manager I'll take the flak, that's the game, but equally it comes down to the players to perform - that's the bottom line.

Finally congratulations to Crawley who have won the Dr Martens Premier Division title. They've been the best team all the way through and a cut above all season.

We would like to think that we have progressed and are in the next level of clubs just below Crawley but there is stll some way to go to scale their heights.