Oakham United lose to Stanground Sports in the Peterborough and District Football League
Frustrated Oakham United manager Lea Jordan wants his side to rekindle their fighting spirit after slipping to a second successive Peterborough League loss on Saturday.
The Rutland side went down to a 3-0 away defeat at Stanground Sports in their Premier Division clash.
Jordan was disappointed with his side's display and is now looking at rallying his troops to repeat their performances from earlier in the season.
He said: "I was really frustrated after Saturday.
"It was a poor performance and we just never got going.
"The commitment has been poor and we're not showing that fighting spirit which we had at the beginning of the season.
"We need to now just finish as high as we can and finish stronger than we have been playing."
Second-placed Stanground had hit the post with a header from a corner before some fine wing play from Oakham's Will Pearce-Smith saw his cross just evade the incoming Cardin Pierre-Liverpool.
Sports then struck the opening goal when Snor Isham headed home a cross before Oakham goalkeeper John Swales was down smartly to turn away a shot from Joe Graham.
The hosts doubled their lead after the break when Isham found space in the box to drill his finish into the far corner of the Oakham net.
Graham then added the third as he jinked his way through the Oakham defence before rounding Swales and slotting home.
Stanground could have added to their tally as Isham was denied a hat-trick by a block from Swales after breaking free before the visitors had to clear off the line following a header from a corner.
Swales also got down well late on to again thwart Isham with Jordan conceding that his side had been well beaten.
He added: "It was disappointing that we never really created anything.
"We looked sluggish and a bit out of our depth. Stanground stayed strong and punished us when they could and it got results. It showed in our performance that we are a long way off."
Oakham now face a trip to Whittlesey Athletic Reserves on Saturday.