Clive Cook is desperate for Hythe to find some consistency while they still have a chance in the Ryman League, Division 1 South play-off race.

Town lost 1-0 at rivals Lewes on Saturday to slip to eighth – the lowest they have been since early September – although they remain just three points behind Corinthian Casuals in fourth with nine games remaining.

Boss Cook said: “I’m bored of telling you the same old story every week. Lewes weren’t a good side, they weren’t better than us, we had one lapse in concentration, their first attack, they scored, done, that’s it.

“I was despondent. We had a great opportunity to get ourselves right in the mix and we bottled it again. My biggest regret this season is that we’ve not been able to break free when we’ve had the chance.

“Four or five times now we’ve been in situations where we knew that if we won a game, we’d go top, or go clear, but we blew it, again and again. I can’t put my finger on why – we have got some big players.”

He added: “Words were said behind closed doors by the players and that’s good. It shows their passion and that they care.

“We did not create anything up top, we were poor in the final third, although we were good everywhere else. That is a problem. We have talked about it but that’s just talk, sometimes you need to get out there and play to work it out.

“We couldn’t ask for a better game to have next than hosting Carshalton on Saturday.”

Carshalton are sixth, two places but just one point ahead of Hythe, who have a game in hand and Cook said: “Despite everything, we are one point outside the play-offs. Every team has been up and down. It’s all to play for.

“We’ve been massively inconsistent, if we could put a run of consistent performances together I have no doubt we’d win every game.”

He added: “It is really a six-pointer because if we could win and go ahead of them, with a game in hand, it would set them back.

“After eight months it’s all coming down to nine games. This is proper stress now. Football gets hold of you. You’re in its grip. If you lose, it beats you up for days.”

Dave Cook serves his final game of suspension in the home game against Carshalton and could return for Tuesday’s trip to Molesey (7.45pm).