“WE can’t shy away from it, we have to really work hard now and realise that we have to get out of this situation.”

So said Pickering Town manager Steve Roberts as his side went bottom of the Pitching In Northern Premier League east table at the weekend.

Results from other clubs in the division went against the Pikes, who are now at the foot of the league standings, level on three points with Bridlington Town.

After eight league games, Pickering are the only club in the division yet to win a game.

Of the sides to have played eight or less games, no other team has conceded more goals.

Only Frickley Athletic, who Town travel to face on Saturday have scored less goals from as many matches.

“We have to realise the situation that we are in now,” stressed Roberts. “We have gone bottom with the results at the weekend.

“We can’t shy away from it, we have to really work hard now and realise that we have to get out of this situation.

“I’m not a manager that is going to give up.

“I’ve spoken about the fact that we now have to fight as a group, as a management team and a squad of players to get out of this situation, because I still believe we can do that.”

Pickering’s league season is still in only its second month though and a win over Frickley at the weekend could see the visitors go as high as 14th.

While Roberts is optimistic about how a string of results could quickly change the landscape of their season, he insisted that the club had to face up to its current position.

“It is tight and it could be a different pictures after another two or three games,” he said.

“If we get a few more points on the board, hopefully we can get out of this situation and it will look better.

“But I believe that we can’t hide away from this, we’ve got to accept that we are currently bottom of the league, albeit the points tallies are close and we can still creep up the table.

“But we can’t be having those same conversations in another month. I’m fully behind what I need to do and I know the players are.

“I’m here for the long haul, I want to get things right and I know that the players do.”

Since Pickering lost 5-1 away to division leaders Liversedge, who have won all eight of their matches to date, Roberts and the players have been able to utilise their weekend off with more training sessions than is usually possible.

“It is always nice to get a break,” said Roberts.

“At this level the games come thick and fast, so you don’t often have the time to spend with the players and coach them.

“It was nice to get them in for a good two-hour session on Saturday. We’ve now go to push on for the games that are coming up because Frickley will be a test, despite their last two results which have been poor.

“I’m sure that, as the home side, they will want to bounce back. Again, they’re quite a physical team so we need to match that physicality.”