TIM Flowers admits the chances have dried up for his Alvechurch side following a narrow 1-0 defeat against league leaders Kettering Town.
Church lost at home in the league for the first time since Boxing Day as Luca Miller’s late goal proved decisive at Lye Meadow.
Miller’s shot bobbled over Church’s debutant goalkeeper Ben Cisse nine minutes from time.
Alvechurch signed Cisse on loan from West Bromwich Albion earlier this week with both of their first team goalkeepers away on international duty.
The result means Church sit 11th in the Southern League Premier Central table.
And Flowers has challenged his side to secure a top-half finish with eight matches left to play this season.
Flowers said: “It’s just another game where we’ve fallen on the wrong side of a one-nil scoreline.
“We’ve got our two goalkeepers away on international duty which is incredible at Step Three.
“West Brom have kindly allowed Ben to come in, he did really well, he looked nice and bright and sharp.
“The ball took a bit of a wicked bounce in front of him for the goal and it’s a hard bobbly pitch.
“Our squad is quite thin now, it’s all hands to the pump at the moment.
“We’re just going through a two or three-game spell where the chances have dried up, that’s not for the want of trying.
“The lads have absolutely bought in to everything that I’ve tried to bring in, our ambition is to finish in the top half.”
The game’s only goal came on 81 minutes as Miller fired a shot towards goal on the turn from inside the box which Cisse failed to keep out despite making two attempts to claw the ball to safety.
Alvechurch are next in action against Leiston on Saturday, March 22 with kick-off at 3pm at Lye Meadow.
