Ilkeston boss says his side are not good enough against the top teams

Martin Carruthers says Ilkeston must improve against the better teams. Pic by Lee Prewett.

The Robins headed into the lockdown break on the back of a 3-2 home defeat to leaders Leek to leave them 10th in the NPL Division One South East table.

And Carrurthers already feels the best his side can achieve will be a play-off spot.

“We are short against the better sides in the league,” he said. “We are looking at play-offs at best

“To win the title you need to be like Leek or Stamford, and that is not discounted any of the other teams up there.

“We are three or four players from being that kind of side and we will use the break to pick ourselves up and reorganise.

“We are just not quite there, we are falling short and we know what we need to do.

“We need to be fitter, better organised and more clinical from set pieces.”

He believes his side’s failings were highlighted perfectly in the Leek defeat.

Ilkeston threw away a 1-0 lead at half-time before collapsing under the visiting pressure.

“Goals change games,” he added. “We had good opportunities early in the first half and the start of the second half. If you go 2-0 up it changes games and the mindset of players.

“The better sides turn the screw and finish games off. We don't have the personnel and leadership to keep us organised and disciplined to grind results out.”

Carruthers is now warning his players they must stay in shape for however long the lockdown period lasts.

Each player will have a fitness plan to follow designed by the club’s fitness staff .

“The players have got to keep themselves fit,” he added. “We expect them to stay fit and sharp.

“They will have targets to reach for when they come back but we don't know when that will be

“It could be january, so we have to be prepared and get fit.

“We had issues with players in the first lockdown getting injured and not being able to play two games a week

“There are player safety issues here which the FA and league need to address.

"It is going to be three games a week or an extended season if we don't start in January.”