Chris Hargreaves has said his Yeovil Town side need to regain the defensive resilience they showed in pre-season if they are to progress up the National League table.
The Glovers’ boss was frustrated after two defensive lapses saw Barnet striker Nicke Kabamba gifted two goals in the 2-1 home defeat on Tuesday night after errors cost goals in their previous games against Scunthorpe United and Wrexham.
The boss’ frustration was compounded by his side’s struggle to finish a number of chances they created in midweek with the only goal coming from left wing-back Jamie Reckord with his side already 2-0 down.
Talking ahead of the weekend’s trip to Altrincham, Hargreaves said: “It’s the chances we aren’t taking and the small lapses in concentration (defensively), but small lapses at any level kill you.
“If you don’t score, you have to come out with boring 0-0s and the teams I have done well with, that is what we have done.
“In pre-season, we had that resilience and weren’t creating as many, now we can’t stop creating chances, but I want that resilience back.”
The Glovers’ boss will give on loan winger Sam Pearson until the weekend to prove his fitness after he was forced off following a physical encounter against Barnet.
The Bristol City player went off after 72 minutes, replaced by Lawson D’Ath, with the manager saying afterwards that he was suffering with a back injury.
Speaking on Thursday, Hargreaves said: “We are taking it day by day. He took a few bumps on Tuesday, but he’s resilient lad and robust, so we are hopeful he comes through.
“He to learn on the job very quickly and Sam, because of the type of player he is, he will get that type of aggression against him.
“But he looked like he was able to cope with the physicality but when there are games in quick succession with high tempos and his output, his running stats are high, we don’t want to lose him for weeks on end.
“It is the same with some of the other lads coming back from injury, like Lawson (D’Ath), that is one where we have to make a decision and bed them back in gently.”
Hargreaves reiterated the knee injury sustained by central defender Ben Richards-Everton was “not as bad as first feared“, but did reveal that striker Ollie Hulbert was suffering with an injury.
The 19-year-old has not featured in a squad since pre-season although he was on the pitch ahead of the Barnet game working with Scott Wickens, the club’s strength and conditioning coach.
Hargreaves said: “We have to work out why it is happening and it may be a decision we have to make on that.
“He trains well but has a slight problem in games. He is chomping at the bit, but in certain circumstances his body is letting him down.”
He confirmed that forward Gime Toure, who a week ago following his release by League Two side Carlisle United at the end of last season, was “not far off” from starting a game.
The 28-year-old impressed after coming off the bench against in the 1-1 draw with Wrexham, but had less of an impact having arrived around the hour mark in midweek.
Hargreaves said: “Gime has been looking for EFL clubs and probably lost a bit of fitness and he’s signed for us in a deal which suits both parties.
“If we can get him up to speed, he will be a dangerous player for us. He’s not far off, but for lots of players that have been through the summer as Gime has, they lose fitness.
“He’s shown glimpses of what he can do and we have to make sure we get him to full fitness as quickly as possible.”
He also said teenage defender Alfie Pond, who arrived on loan from Exeter City last Friday had impressed in training, adding that he had given him “a lot to think about” in his team selection.
The 18-year-old was an unused substitute against both Wrexham and Barnet.
Asked whether he was looking to add further to his squad, the manager said he was continuing to speak to “several people” about coming to Huish Park.
The question from BBC Somerset reporter Sheridan Robins related to forward players and Hargreaves added that he felt he had enough players already in his squad to score goals.
He said: “Regardless of who we get in we have enough people to finish chances and the lads are working hard to change that.
“We had eight very good chances (against Barnet on Tuesday) whereas they have three shots on goal and scored two. We had double figures plus and eight on target.
“It is not a case of it just being the strikers, it can be defenders from corners, midfielders going through, wingers, everyone has got to chip in with goals.
“It’s just maybe one more second of calmness in front of goal to make sure and that is what we have been working on this week.”