Boss Le Masurier accuses Poppies players of 'hiding' in Long Eaton defeat

The Poppies missed the chance pull further clear of the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central relegation zone as they were well beaten at Latimer Park by a Long Eaton side that went into the weekend having won just three matches all season.

And Le Masurier was not happy with his team, saying that they retreated into their shells as soon as they fell 1-0 behind in the 33rd minute.

Further goals followed in the second half as Eaton went 3-0 ahead, before Bruno Andrade added a late consolation, and the result leaves Kettering just one place and five points above the drop zone.

"I have told the players they have to front it up," said Le Masurier after the game.

"Too many times they hide, they were hiding on the pitch, shirking responsibility, and they have to front it up now.

"When we look at the game, we have had a lot of chances in the first half, and played quite well based on the gameplan, but we have not executed the finishes, and we have then defended poorly.

"So with the chances we have had, we weren't good enough in front of goal, defensively when we had to be called upon we also weren't good enough.

"We had the lion's share of possession and got ourselves into good positions to score, but in the second half there is nobody there to take accountability.

"I am not telling the players anything they don't know, but to give them (Long Eaton) too much respect like that when we are at home is just beyond me.

"I keep saying it and it is getting boring, but that is the mindset of some of the players we have got here at the moment.

"As a group of players we were too far off Long Eaton, they didn't outplay us but they probably out-bustled us, and that has got to hurt our lads because it is about time they were taugh a lesson like that.

"Hopefully it hurts them as much as it hurts me.

"I want to support the players as much as possible, but I lost my faith a bit in the second half."

The Poppies have a free week off before they go to play-off chasing AFC Telford United on Saturday.

Interview by Peter Short