Louth Town welcome back goal ace Jordan Smith as they aim to halt losing run

Smith was unable to prevent Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Club Thorne Colliery but boss Carl Martin believes he could be the catalyst to hitting the winning trail.

Top scorer Smith had moved on to Skegness Town in the summer but has been allowed to return on a dual registration.

“Jordan will be huge for us,” said boss Carl Martin.

“He is Louth through and through and part of the fabric of this club.

“His heart is here and he was desperate to come back to us.

“He had wanted to stay in the summer but I made a decision to make the squad bigger and use the budget in a different way.

“It was a direction that hasn't worked out and I hold my hands up.

“Jordan is a huge addition and at the minute we need him. He has always been brilliant for me over the years. We know we will get goals from him”

Another returnee this week was goalkeeper Declan Dennis from Grimsby Borough.

“Dec started the season with us and did well,” said Martin.

“We have a good relationship with Grimsby Borough and he was available.

“So, with our regular keeper suspended we've gone with him, Dec has now been given the opportunity for the No.1 shirt.”

However, he was involved in a controversial goal on Saturday as, despite the return of him and Smith, the White Wolves went down 3-0 at Thorne after Lewis Andrew broke through with a controversial opener on 28 minutes.

With Dennis taken out and injured on the floor, play was allowed to continue and Andrew found the empty net from range.

After Louth had hit the bar, Jordan Buckham added a second on 66 minutes before Andrew completed a brace with 10 minutes left.

Louth then ended the game with 10 men as Bailey Wright was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident.

“Their first goal was a bizarre decision,” said Martin.

“Declan had gone up and taken the ball, but he was taken out by their forward, the ball knocked out of his hands.

“The referee allowed play to go on, even though everyone had stopped, and they knocked the ball in the goal and it was allowed.

“It was a blatant foul – even their players said so after the game.

“Decisions and luck are going against us at the moment, which happens when you are in a bit of a rut.

“Losing Bailey with a red card is not ideal either as he will probably get three games and is one of our best players.

“We just have to dig in now and stick together.”

In midweek a late George Graham hat-trick put a very one-sided look onto the scoreline as Louth crashed 6-1 at home to Brigg Town.

Dayle Hutson put Brigg ahead on 11 minutes only for Daniel Trott to level on 24 minutes.

But Scott Hutchinson restored Brigg's lead three minutes later and Stephen McCarron added a third just before the break.

It remained that way until nine minutes from the end when Graham burst into life with a hat-trick, completed by a 90th minute penalty.

“Brigg were the better team throughout the 90 minutes,” said Martin.

“We just didn't turn up on the day or compete and we got found out.

“It was probably our worst performance of the season. We just didn't do the basics required and they put us to the sword.”

Louth were due to face Blackstones at home in midweek in the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy First Round before hosting Dearne & District in league action on Saturday.