Dick Creasey says Wisbech Town have no-one to blame but themselves for falling to a second straight United Counties League defeat.

The Fenmen sank to a 3-1 defeat to Northampton ON Chenecks at the Elgoods Fenland Stadium last Saturday, and it is believed some Wisbech players said the quality of the pitch played a part in their poor performance.

But Creasey has rubbished their claims and says that their “unacceptable” display was down to a lack of defending as a unit and a failure to take chances in front of goal.

“l’ll back the players to the hilt but there was nothing to back,” he said.

“I don’t accept it on behalf of this football club and the players know that performance was not anywhere near what we’re capable of.

“I’m not asking people to do what they can’t do. We’ve seen what we can do and we’ve got nowhere near that level.

“I apologise to everyone – the supporters – for that performance. I can’t do any more than that apart from try and regroup.

“We need to improve all over the pitch. We defended very poorly but what we must remember is to defend as a team.

“The wide boys haven’t tucked in and tracked back and the back five was poor.

“They’ve probably gone into our box in the second half and scored two goals. That comes through a lack of talking and the third goal was one ball over the top where we were square and couldn’t make it up.

“All in all it’s a really bad day. Everybody wants to talk to me about the pitch – forget it.

“The pitch doesn’t stop us marking people and stop us putting the ball in the net when we’re in good positions.

“I’m not blaming the pitch – that’s rubbish. I’m blaming ourselves.”

Creasey also admitted that his team selection – which didn’t include top-scorer Harry Limb but featured youngster Harry Vince – probably wasn’t the right choice.

“One bright spark was Harry Vince,” he said.

“I thought he came out with a degree of honesty and he worked his socks off.

“But for the rest of them it was poor from back to front. We defended very poorly and there were school-boy errors across the back four.

“The midfield was non-existent apart from Harry and the front two huffed and puffed.

“Some people will say the selection was wrong but the fact of the matter is that Harry [Limb] didn’t start because he nearly didn’t come. He came back from Swansea with a heavy cold and wasn’t fit to start.

“He’s had a hard week’s training there and the best place for him to be - other than at home in bed - was on the bench.

“In hindsight, and knowing what I know now, I would have changed a few things but there’s nothing that can be done.”

Wisbech, who are still sitting in eighth in the standings, travel to Kirby Muxloe on Saturday (3pm).