HOLLAND FC joint-boss Ray Turner has warned his players their discipline must improve - or the club will miss out on promotion.

The Thurlow Nunn League first division side had Tom Holdstock and Chris Ribchester sent off in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Braintree Town Reserves.

In took their tally of dismissals to eight in 13 matches.

Turner admitted it is a "disgraceful" record and insists things have to change if his side are to challenge at the top of the table.

"If we can't keep 11 men on the pitch, we're not giving ourselves the best chance of winning matches," he told the Gazette.

"It's so frustrating and I was pulling my hair out again on Saturday.

"My whole team-talk had been geared around discipline, making tackles in the right area and, unless absolutely necessary, staying on your feet.

"I told the players to conduct themselves properly and not to give the referee any reason to reach for his pocket.

"Then we end up having two more sent off.

"Our disciplinary record is disgraceful and we're certainly not proud of it.

"We desperately want to it to improve and we're taking drastic measures to make sure that's the case.

"It's not even like it's the same culprits.

"Different players are getting sent off but we're not a dirty side.

"People will look at our record and think we've got a group of players who like to fight and get into trouble, but all bar one of the sendings-off have been for mistimed tackles.

"We've got a lot of players who play on the edge - it makes them the player they are and if you take that competitiveness away, the danger is it will make them less effective.

"But something has to change, without doubt.

"We'll certainly be talking to the boys both collectively and individually because at the moment it's really costing us."

Jimmy Shuttlewood scored the consolation goal for Holland on Braintree on Saturday.

Lee Braddon then hit the bar in the closing seconds and his efforts struck the keeper and bounced agonisingly wide.

By that point Holdstock had been sent off for two bookings - one for a foul, one for dissent - while Ribchester saw red for a professional foul on an Iron striker.

"We're massively underachieving because we've got players capable of getting promoted this season," added Turner, whose side host King's Lynn Town Reserves on Saturday.

"I know what it takes to do well in this league and there's no doubt in my mind we should finish in the top three.

"But at the moment we just can't keep players on the pitch and if we keep going down to nine and ten men we've got no chance.

"It's affecting us in those matches and it also means we're missing key players for key games through suspension.

"We're always having to change our team and formation."