Halstead Town manager Mark Benterman said he felt let down by his players after their poor show at Woodbridge Town and that some members of his squad are now playing for their Humbugs places.

However, the Town boss feels there is no need to panic and their promotion dreams are still very much in their own hands.

Benterman had been looking for 12 Thurlow Nunn League division one points from an important January, but they got the year off to the worst possible start at the Peckers with an under par display that led to a 4-2 defeat that left the Humbugs manager feeling deflated.

He said: “It’s the first time that I’ve been sitting there a few days after a game and feeling like this.

“I feel let down – the players let themselves down.

“I normally praise them up but that was not acceptable.

“Some are fighting not just for their places in the team, but at the club and I’m hoping that it was just a New Year’s hangover.

“Yarmouth and Haverhill were fantastic performances and we went to Woodbridge perhaps over-confident.

“It was not acceptable, but I’m not going to over-react.

“I said last week that we wanted 12 points in January, but nine from 12 will still be good.

“Teams around us have been winning while we are not quite there yet, however, football is all about fine lines.

“Two weeks ago we were in the position where we were six points off second with two games in hand and now we are 11 points off second with two games in hand.

“That is the fine margin that you operate in.

“There are still 54 points to play for and I reckon 70 to 75 will get you up this year based on past years.

“Teams are playing each other and taking points off each other and we are quite fortunate this year that there are a number of reserve sides doing well and taking points off people, but who can’t go up.

“However, we want to do it the right way and I’m hoping Saturday was just a blip.”

While Benterman was disappointed with his team’s performance, though, he was also frustrated by refereeing decisions during the game and felt two of Woodbridge’s four goals should not have stood.

“The referee apologised to me at half-time for allowing their first goal,” added Benterman.

“In the lead-up to the goal, Lewis Cunliffe had been penalised for a foul and then a few minutes later there was an almost identical incident by one of their players that wasn’t penalised.

“We reacted to the situation and while that was going on, we got punished.

“I objected at the time but had to leave it or I would have got sent to the stands, but the referee actually came out after half-time and apologised for it. That’s all very nice, but doesn’t make the situation any easier as it changed the game.

“Then for their third goal, the ball was two or three yards off the pitch before being put in the net and the referee allowed it to stand, but he apologised to me later for that as well.

“I accept that we did not deserve three points, but it’s hard to take when the referee has apologised for two of their four goals.”