Connell Rawlinson feels this Saturday’s £10 clash with Sutton at Meadow Lane provides the perfect opportunity to right the wrongs of recent weeks.
Conceding 14 times in our last six games has seen us win just once over that period after looking so stubborn in defence previously, and we'll be looking to buck the trend during the cut-price fixture.
Most of the goals have been from set pieces and crosses and Rawlinson thinks our meeting with the U’s – who class those as areas of strength – could be just what we need to overcome the problem.
“We couldn’t come up against a better challenge,” said the centre half.
“We’ve been struggling with balls into the box and set plays, so coming up against a team who ask questions of you in those ways means you have to stand up and be counted.
“You want to test yourselves against the best and it’s up to us to put the things right that we haven’t been doing in recent weeks.
“It’ll be a good challenge for us, and we have to stand up to it and impose ourselves.
“We’re at home on a big pitch so if we get the ball down and move it quickly, we should be ok and hopefully we can turn our form around.”
Despite our struggles in recent weeks, Rawlinson says the players’ heads haven’t dropped.
“The lads are upbeat and the mood around camp is exactly how it was when we weren’t conceding goals,” he revealed.
“We know what to do to put it right and we’re working hard in training to turn things around and hopefully we do that on Saturday.
“Every mistake or lapse in concentration is being punished, but sometimes it doesn’t work that way and you find yourself blaming the rub of the green a bit.
“However, we need to cut those out and make our own luck to turn things around.”
He’s been a mainstay in our defence this season and Rawlinson is loving life at Meadow Lane.
“This is one of the best clubs I’ve played at,” he smiled. “I would love to spend the rest of my career playing here.
“I feel I’ve had a steady progression since coming in. It took me a bit of time to get back into the swing of things but I like the gaffer’s philosophy and think I’m gelling well.
“That goes for the whole team and I think what we’re doing will work. We just have to cut out the mistakes and then we’ll start to motor on.
“We’re planning on bettering the first half of our season and getting as many points as possible to finish in the play-offs, which is the minimum target for the players.”
And, with adult tickets priced just £10, Rawlinson hopes for a similar atmosphere to that of our games against Wrexham and AFC Fylde earlier in the campaign, when we had big crowds.
“The more we can get through the door, the better,” said the 28-year-old.
“A larger number of fans and a bigger atmosphere gives you a buzz and that little bit of extra motivation to run when the supporters are making noise.
“Wrexham and Fylde were great games and we put on good performances in those, too, so I’d ask the fans to get down here and support the lads.”