Pinchbeck United aiming for a strong finish to their Thurlow Nunn League season

Manager Lewis Thorogood feels Pinchbeck United have created a positive platform to build on despite back-to-back defeats scuppering their play-off hopes.

The Knights are currently in ninth spot in the Thurlow Nunn League Division One North in their first season back at step six of the non-league pyramid following last term's relegation.

Successive losses against play-off chasing Harwich and Parkeston and Diss Town over the last two weekends have left Pinchbeck 14 points adrift of a top five finish.

With 10 matches of the campaign remaining, Thorogood now wants a rousing finale to stand Pinchbeck in good stead for next season.

He said: "There is still plenty of football to play but the last two games have probably showed we're just not quite ready for the play-offs this year.

"We haven't got that little element of finding ways to win or scrapping out those horrible wins by just being that bit more savvy.

"We haven't looked massively out of place in those games but we have just fallen a bit short this year.

"My target is now to finish strongly because we've got games left that we can get points from.

"If we can get into that little pocket just outside the play-offs, we know that we haven't got a massive amount more to do to have that push to get into the top five next season.

"It's a realistic assessment of where we are with a positive platform for next season.

"We've rebuilt over the summer and hopefully we've now got a real good base to push on from and kick on for next season."

Pinchbeck had raced into a two-goal lead in last Saturday's home match with Harwich who then hit back to run out 4-2 winners.

A slow start in the weekend clash at Diss saw the fifth-placed Tangerines take a sixth minute lead when Malachi Wright headed home from Callum Bray's free-kick.

The lead was doubled in the 20th minute when Charlie Webb powered home a header from Alfie Sandon's centre.

Pinchbeck cut the deficit on the stroke of half-time through a penalty from JJ Ward but they were unable to find an equaliser after the break.

As they pushed forward for a leveller, the hosts then wrapped up the win in injury-time when Oliver Williams fired home.

Thorogood added: "We had played Harwich off the park in the opening 25 minutes and gone 2-0 up but the conditions suited them more than us as the game developed and went on.

"They are a long ball team who are physical and very strong and they find ways to win.

"It was a similar scenario at Diss, albeit we didn't come out of the traps very well.

"It was probably our worst start for a while but we did grow into the game.

"Again, Diss found a way to win the game. They were big, strong and direct and the first two goals came from set pieces with powerful headers."

The Knights - who host Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers this Saturday - have signed Ashton Thorrold from Premier Division side Fakenham Town.

Thorogood commented: "We're again giving youngsters a chance.

"Ashton's of a good build and he's big, brave and strong who is very enthusiastic and keen.

"He came on at the weekend and he's got lots of potential.

"We're very happy with the squad for the last 10 games and we want to work with them to give us that platform as a group to kick on over the summer and into next year."

Holbeach United's Thurlow Nunn League match at the weekend at Haverhill Borough was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

They travel to FC Parson Drove this Saturday.