MATT Clarke admits he ‘deserves criticism’ after Redditch United failed to end their winless run following a 2-1 defeat at Hitchin Town.
The Reds are now nine games without a win as goals from Harry Titchmarsh and Henry Snee condemned United to defeat at Top Field.
Redditch netted a late consolation courtesy of Jack Kelly after debutant Finn Flanagan saw red for the visitors with Hitchin one-goal ahead.
The result leaves the Reds 13th in the Southern League Premier Central table, just three points above the relegation zone, with Clarke adamant he can turn the club’s poor form around.
Clarke said: “It is [the most difficult period of my managerial career], we’ve had 10 games now and not won a game since the first one, the reality is it isn’t acceptable, it’s nowhere near good enough.
“We have to have a long, hard, look at ourselves and something has to change, we’re getting ourselves into trouble and that’s down to results, it’s just not acceptable and has to improve.
“It’s the toughest spell I’ve had [as a manager], I deserve criticism at the moment because of the results but I believe I can turn it around but we’ve got to turn it around quickly.
“At the moment we’re failing and I’m failing, we’ve got to be a lot better.
“I always take responsibility because we’re not doing well enough, the run is not good enough, people and the fans deserve better and we’re not delivering.
“People are making mistakes and I’m picking them so that’s on me, that’s something we’ve really got to try and improve on.”
United fell behind on the hour mark as Titchmarsh placed a low shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area.
And Redditch then saw debutant Flanagan sent off for a second bookable offence seven minutes later to leave the visitors down to 10-men.
Hitchin made the most of the extra man 10 minutes from time when substitute Snee finished on the turn to all but seal the points for the home side.
The Reds halved the deficit one minute from time as Kelly headed in at a corner but it prove too little, too late.
United boss Clarke praised his side’s desire to keep themselves in the game with 10-men but admits a lapse in concentration proved costly with the visitors on top until that point.
Clarke added: “It’s very disappointing, we didn’t start properly in the first half-hour, we didn’t get to grips with it.
“We finished the first half strongly, we have an issue with that first 15-minute block when we come out after half time so we spoke to the players about that.
“We’re having our best spell of the game, we don’t score some great chances and then we switch off and don’t do what we’re supposed to do and it costs us.
“Then we go down to 10-men, we threw caution to the wind, the lads showed a lot of character and a lot of desire but ultimately it’s not good enough.”
Redditch are next in action against Kettering Town on Saturday, January 18 with kick-off at 3pm at the Valley Stadium.
