Louth Town waste big chance to assure safety in defeat to relegation rivals Dronfield Town

But boss Carl Martin was not too upset after his side's recent heroics, dragging themselves out of the drop zone with a run of six wins in eight games and felt the effort from that run simply caught up with his side on Saturday.

“It was a really disappointing performance,” said Martin.

“With the levels and standards we have hit over the last eight weeks, we were miles off it.

“We looked flat and lethargic and never really got going.

“Fair play to Dronfield. They had a game plan and over 90 minutes deserved the three points.

“After all the effort over the last eight weeks we went out with a whimper and looked leggy.

“But I can't grumble and we will just write it off as a bad day at the office and go again.

“With the intensity, the energy and the tempo they have produced over the last eight weeks, I think it all caught up with them a bit and this was a game too far.

“But I won't chuck them under the bus as in recent games I think they have been absolutely monumental.”

He added: “Dronfield's first goal was a bit of a freak goal and you can't legislate for that.

“We got back into it and had a foothold and then got hit by a late sucker punch. I think a draw would probably have been a fair result on reflection, but fair play to Dronfield, I think they did a bit of a number on us.”

Victory would have assured Louth of NCEL football next season, though they still sitv 10 points clear of the drop zone with five games left.

Dronfield went ahead on 29 minutes as a Jake Balme free kick from the halfway line somehow carried and then bounced up and over the Louth keeper. But on 56 minutes, Bailey Wright, from the edge of the box saw his deflected effort helped into the net by the keeper to level.

Then just as the game seemed set to end all square, up popped Samuel Bebbington at the far post to head home an 86th minute winner.

After a midweek trip to Swallownest, Louth are away at Glasshoughton Welfare on Saturday.