PICKERING TOWN boss Tony Hackworth admitted to “raging” after his side’s 3-1 defeat to Thackley and insists he won’t let his players coast through the remainder of the Northern Counties East League premier division campaign.

The Recreation Ground chief warned that both he and his squad were “playing for their futures” ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Barton Town Old Boys after they put in a performance he described as the worst of his short time in charge.

“I was more than a little bit disappointed,” Hackworth said. “I was raging. I can take us not playing the best but there was no fight. I let the players know at both half-time and after the game that it wasn’t good enough.

“It won’t happen again. We don’t want the season to just dwindle out. I won’t allow it to happen. Everyone is playing for their futures - me included - and we have got to start performing again as I know we can.

“If we had played that poorly against Shaw Lane up to half-time then we would have been six or seven down. We have got them, and Tadcaster and Staveley, coming up and the levels of performance can’t dip.

“I haven’t had to do this before but they all listened and we move on looking for a lift.”

Hackworth added he would be looking to strengthen the squad between now and the start of pre-season and expected to make changes for the journey to Barton.

He said: “There are lads I am talking to at the moment but it all comes down to budget.”

Pickering will be without Chris Batchelor.