“We’re not good enough for the play-offs!” Elliott left frustrated by Boston United’s ‘nearly men’

Speaking after today’s 2-0 defeat to league leaders Chorley, the visibly frustrated manager admitted there was a gulf between his squad and the National League North’s top teams.

“I’m fed up. I think one thing it has done is put a nail in it, we’re not good enough for the play-offs,” Elliott confessed.

“I’ve just said that to the players. Today for me was about the players. I don’t usually blow my own trumpet but I don’t think I’ve got a lot wrong apart from Chester away - squad-wise, player-wise.

“We’ve had a good, balanced squad and a strong bench. I said to them before the game about you as players to go and prove you’re good enough to want to get in them play-offs.

“If you’ve got ambitions to be a good team, and I think they’ve shown today they’ve not.”

It’s been a case of close-but-not-quite for the Pilgrims this season with victories such as last week’s win at Southport offering what appears be false hope in the play-off chase.

“I’m sick of saying it at home. I think we have played well. I don’t think we’ve been bad. We’ve just not had enough,” Elliott added.

“We’re a classic mid-table team. We’ve been fantastic away from home and I just think at home we go missing.

“I expect more from them and I think we go hiding a bit. It’s happened too many times at home.

“We lack leaders and I need to sort that. I need the right players in. I’ll go get them.

“I’ve learned a lot this year. We’ve got too many flimsy players, similar personalities where they just accept things around them.

“Good teams don’t do that. We are weak, nearly men really.”

Alex Newby and Ben Middleton were both dismissed in the first half for their parts in a tussle, following George Willis’s penalty save for United as the hosts trailed 1-0.

In the ensuing scuffle Elliott claimed Chorley’s Josh Wilson threw a headbutt, which went unpunished by referee Aaron Bannister.

“I couldn’t see what happened with the scuffle,” Elliott said when asked of Middleton’s involvement.

“He (Bannister) says he’s booked Ben for holding him down but I saw number 10 put a headbutt on somebody, so that’s disappointing.

“We’ve had the referee before. He’s been very inconsistent. He cost us a result at Alfreton away.

“Both teams were down to 10 men but I think it benefitted them losing a midfielder and us losing a defender. It killed us a little bit.”

Middleton will miss Saturday’s trip to York City and and the home contest against Curzon Ashton.

There also injury doubts over Gavin Allott and Andi Thanoj, who both picked up injuries in the game.