Brad Abbott knows Boston United must work hard to improve

The Pilgrims were drubbed 4-1 at home to Chorley this weekend as they slipped to successive home defeats.

And the midfielder knows the side must dig deep if they are to turn it around.

“We know it's not good enough,” he said. “It is a sore one to take. We are getting stick from the fans and you have to take it on the chin.

“As a team we know that the performances are not good enough at the minute and only us can turn it around.

“On Tuesday we were all pulling in the same direction as a team. The game has been won by Chorley by running harder than our team.

“We didn't match their endeavour and, as a team, we all know that it is not good enough. We have not run as hard as the people we are playing against.

“You can't turn up in this league and think that you can just coast through a game.”

But Abbott knows there is plenty of time to see improvements as the new look side begins to gel.

And they will have a perfect chance to put things right when they travel to Scarborough this weekend before hosting Kettering Town two days later.

“There’s been a lot of new faces but in football that happens in non league most seasons, whether we are getting used to playing together still, I don't know.

“There was a good bond in the team last year. I’m not saying we don’t have that now, but this team has only been together for eight weeks. There has been a lot of new faces and maybe there are only four of us left from last season.

“Ultimately there are no excuses for the performances. We seem to fall apart when we concede.

“I don't think we started the game badly, they hit us on the counter and scored and then another goal follows straight after and we fall apart. We are conceding soon after because we are not regrouping again quickly enough.

“We have to show what we are made of this weekend. It is the beginning of the season and we have to go out and win a few on the bounce.

“You can push yourself up the table really quickly. It is a massive weekend ahead and a chance to get two positive results.”