Adam Lakeland has admitted defensive frailties cost his King’s Lynn Town side at National League North leaders Tamworth on Saturday.
The Lambs opened the scoring early on when Liam Dolman scored following a corner and made it 2-0 through Jamie Jellis four minutes before the break.
It went from bad to worse in the second half as the home side made it 3-0 through Ty Deacon after 72 minutes.
Sub Jordan Ponticelli returned from injury in the 64th minute and seven minutes time got one back for Lynn from close range.
But that was little consolation after Linnets players failed to take on board their manager’s warning before the game.
Speaking after the 3-1 defeat – Lynn’s third loss in the space of a week – a frustrated Lakeland said: “It’s summed up by the way we conceded – the first goal was so easy, from a corner within the opening minute – you’re away, top of the league, it’s a difficult place to come and you just can’t give goals away like that.
“Probably the most frustrating thing from my aspect is that we had a meeting before the game.
“I told the lads that 75 per cent of their goals come from set plays and they are very, very good at it – and we have conceded off two corners and a long throw and it’s just not good enough really.
“There is a weakness to us at times when the ball goes into the box and we’ve got a handful of players who I think can grind it out, but not enough of those types of players at the minute.”
Lynn weren’t helped by the loss of defender Kyle Callan-McFadden to a knee injury during the warm-up.
Lakeland told the club’s media team: “We were dealt a massive blow in the warm-up losing Macca.
“In games like this when its competitive and a scrappy affair at times, you need lads like Macca on the pitch and that was a real blow for us.
“He is another experienced player and leader and we’ve not got enough them and to lose him in the warm-up was certainly a blow.”
