FRUSTRATED manager Paul Marshall has finally lost patience with his players after Tadcaster Albion’s implosion in the Northern Counties East League premier division title race.

The Brewers have slipped off the radar following an horrendous run of form since the turn of 2012.

Since their January 2 win at Nostell Miners Welfare, Marshall’s men have won only one of their nine league matches.

During that run they spurned several chances to go top of the table, but ahead of tomorrow’s trip to struggling Maltby Main they are languishing in eighth.

“The season is tailing off,” said the ambitious manager. “It’s really tough. I am getting frustrated.

“I feel sorry for certain players – players like Ryan Qualter, Matthew Sparkes and Terry Taylor. Some lads are letting us down.

“A lack of effort annoys me so much. If we get beaten by the better team, so be it.”

Such is the feeling of frustration at Ings Lane, the management team are consigning this campaign to the bin and beginning to plan for next season.

Said Marshall: “We are trying to reduce the budget for next season.

“We can’t win the league now and we can’t go down so we will save some money and build for next season.

“We are going to try to get four or five players on contract who we want to keep for next season. We’ve got some good young lads and we want to build the team around them.

“Rob Northfield is staying with the club as chairman and will support us next year, which is great news.

“We know we can build a very, very good squad.”

The changes at Tadcaster paid off for Pickering as they snapped up Albion top scorer Carl Stewart last weekend.

Manager Jimmy Reid’s move into the transfer market paid immediate dividends as the striker scored twice in a 3-1 win at Long Eaton.

The Pikes have risen to a season’s high of 13th in the premier division thanks to a run of six wins and three draws in 11 games under Reid.

Their revival will face a test tomorrow when they travel to ninth-placed Thackley.

Scarborough Athletic will be looking to keep pace with the top five with a win at Hall Road Rangers tomorrow.