TIVIDALE’S relegation battle was given a huge blow this week as the team suffered two losses, leaving them planted at the bottom of the Midland League table.

Tivi went down 3-1 at home to Coventry Sphinx, before conceding another three goals in a defeat away at Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday.

Boss Dave King is now urging his young side to take full advantage of their chances if they wish to avoid the drop.

He said: “The game on Tuesday was a strange one. We had a penalty on 25 minutes, missed it and from that they went straight up the other end and scored.

“We had a fair few chances but just couldn’t convert them. We conceded a couple of sloppy goals and could only get one back.

“We’re a young team, everyone knows that. We’ve only got one player still here from last season and maybe results like Tuesday’s might have gone our way if we were a more experienced side. But I can’t fault the lads for their effort.

“Again on Saturday, it was a very hard game and we didn’t have the chances in this one, but the lads worked extremely hard to try and get something from the game.

“We’ve got a great bunch of lads who stick together and I am sure their time will come.”

Tivi face relegation-threatened rivals Brocton at The Beeches this weekend. King added: “We’ve got nine games left and need to start taking our chances and stop conceding sloppy goals.

“We will go again on Saturday and try to get the three points against Brocton.”