Pinchbeck United lose to Boston Town in the United Counties League
Manager Lewis Thorogood admitted his Pinchbeck United side are running out of the time to win the race for survival after a derby defeat on Tuesday night.
The Knights went down to a 2-0 home loss against Boston Town in their United Counties League Premier Division North match at the Sir Halley Stewart ground.
The defeat leaves the Knights a point adrift of safety with just five matches remaining while relegation rivals Hucknall also have two games in hand on Pinchbeck.
Thorogood said: "Of course, mathematically, we can still stay up but we are running out of time and options.
"We might have to start facing some realities and, if it's a case of us looking to rebuild and bounce back next season and be more competitive, then so be it."
It was two gifted goals that brought about the Knights' downfall on Tuesday night in a game of few clear-cut chances against the Poachers.
Pinchbeck's Marshall Young had seen a shot deflected wide against his former club while Harry Limb headed over after the Knights had failed to clear their lines.
Fraser Bayliss went close on a couple of occasions for Boston and was thwarted by a fine save from Pinchbeck goalkeeper Lewis Cox late in the first period.
However, it was Cox's error which gave Boston the lead just past the hour mark as he completely missed his kick at a back pass and could only watch on as the ball trickled agonisingly into the home net.
The Poachers then doubled their lead nine minutes later when Pinchbeck needlessly tried to take a quick free-kick which was easily intercepted.
The ball was worked out to Limb whose cross picked out substitute Will Langford at the back post and the son of former Spalding, Holbeach and Boston player Paul Langford fired home his first goal for the club.
Although Boston had the lion's share of the possession for the rest of the game, Pinchbeck came close to cutting the deficit when Young set off on a strong, driving run before teeing up Hugo Hunt whose shot went just wide of the far post.
Former Spalding and Holbeach player Liam Adams then came close to adding a third goal for the Poachers in injury-time as he rattled the crossbar with a well-executed shot as Pinchbeck were left to rue their earlier mistakes.
Thorogood commented: "Two errors have killed the game for us because I don't think either side have really worked the goalkeepers yet we've come out of it 2-0 down.
"We knew how Boston were going to play but I felt we held it and rode it well in the first half and 0-0 was probably a fair reflection.
"But I don't think you can legislate in terms of your personnel, formation, system and the way you played for those mistakes.
"You can't even factor them into your game so it was bitterly disappointing."
Pinchbeck are now without a league game until March 16 and face an anxious wait over the weekend for the outcome of Hucknall's next match as they host Newark & Sherwood on Saturday.
Thorogood added: "We've just got to pray and hope in terms of what Hucknall do in their next game before we play again.
"The best case scenario is that it's as you are with five games left to go but the worst case is that we're four points behind by Saturday night. It's all surmising though so we'll just have to see what happens."
Pinchbeck gave a debut on Tuesday night to former Sleaford and Harrowby striker Nathan Brettoner who came on as a second half substitute.