TONY Hackworth admits Pickering Town’s lack of quality in the final third let them down as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to NCEL Premier Division high-fliers Golcar on Saturday.

Without nine players – including skipper Wayne Brooksby – due to injury and suspension, the Pikes are now winless in their last six outings, a run stretching back to the beginning of October.

All three goals were scored inside the opening 26 minutes, with defender Harley Dawson providing the only reply to Callum Petch’s three-minute brace as the visitors took the points back to West Yorkshire.

Nonetheless, the Pikes produced one of their best performances of the season against the division’s second-placed side, providing optimism ahead of a tricky midweek visit to leaders Silsden tomorrow night.

“I’m really proud,” Hackworth enthused to the club. “We knew it was going to be a difficult game, but we were at home, and we’re always confident at home.

“I think we’ve controlled the game for long, long periods. There were a couple of mistakes with us switching off for their goals, but we were just a constant threat.

“We got into some unbelievable positions, but just that final pass in the final third lets us down.

“The build-up play, we want them to go out there, express themselves and move it, and they did that in abundance. But just that final bit, we could have been coming home with at least a draw.”

Hackworth made five changes from last weekend’s defeat to Beverley, with Harry Lovick Alex Zachariou, George Brown, Souleymane Coulibaly and Ronnie Kelly all coming back into the starting line-up.

It was the visitors who carved out the first chance of the afternoon, drawing Alfie Burnett into a smart one-on-one save after counter-attacking from a Pickering corner early on.

But despite getting a hand to Petch’s low strike from the edge of the box, the shot-stopper could not prevent Golcar from taking the lead just after the quarter-hour.

Petch then doubled his, and his side’s, tally just three minutes later with an instinctive finish after Burnett’s punched clearance failed to clear the box.

Pickering though soon halved the deficit in style, with centre-back Dawson driving to the edge of the box before backing himself to finish into the bottom left corner.

Burnett then produced a fine save to leave the hosts still in with a shot, but with little action of note in front of goal in the second half, the Pikes could not find the equaliser their efforts had warranted.

There were though undoubtedly signs of improvement, notably in the Pikes’ discipline, something that has let them down throughout the season so far.

They currently sit only above North Yorkshire rivals Tadcaster Albion in the NCEL Premier Division’s Fair Play standings with 34 yellow cards and six reds.

Skipper Wayne Brooksby was among the absentees following his red card against Beverley.Skipper Wayne Brooksby was among the absentees following his red card against Beverley. (Image: Ellen Thornton) “Everyone, down to a tee was brilliant,” Hackworth continued.

“We knew it was going to be difficult and we’ve had long conversations about our discipline, we know it has to improve.

“Having nine players out through injury and suspension is difficult for any club, but we’ve managed to get one or two in, and with the quality that we already have, we’ll match any team. It’s just about putting results together.

“Golcar, they know how to win football matches without being pretty. They work hard, of course they do, but they win football matches, and we need to get into the habit of doing that as well.”