YATE TOWN boss Dave Mogg has challenged his young players to haul themselves out of the mire after defeat at fellow strugglers Hitchin Town brought relegation closer.

After striker Jake Reid had given them a first half lead, Yate conceded three goals in the last 18 minutes to lose 3-1 on Tuesday night and are now rock bottom of the Southern League Premier.

Hitchin moved eight points clear of Yate, who are seven points adrift of safety - effectively eight due to their inferior goal difference - with just five games to go.

The Lodge Road outfit could be relegated by Easter Monday if they lose at Gloucester City on Saturday and at home to Clevedon two days later, and other results go against them.

Mogg said: “Mathematically we can stay up, but realistically have we got the ability in the squad?”

“Do the players have sleepless nights after a defeat because I do.”

“At Hitchin I wanted to be on the pitch because one of my strongest points was organisation but on the sidelines you can only do it partially. A lack of experience is something that has caused the down fall.

“I felt it was a self-inflicted defeat, basically an inability under pressure to clear our lines properly.”

Reid headed in Sam Duggan’s cross to put Yate ahead and Dean Griffiths hit a volley against the post in the second half before Aron Robbins’ own goal levelled the scores.

Mark Barnes scored for Hitchin with one minute remaining and Robbins was sent off in stoppage time for bringing down an opposition player, which led to the free kick that James Edgerley smashed in.

Mogg felt it was a harsh decision, saying: “It was a free kick at worst but to send the kid off was totally out of context of the game.”

Yate have not been helped in recent weeks as their relegation rivals have picked up unlikely results against teams fighting for promotion. However, at least that gives them some encouragement ahead of their daunting game against Gloucester, where Clevedon won 1-0 last week.

Mogg said: “Clevedon have gone to Gloucester and won when they shouldn’t so why can’t we do that.

“It gives you the knowledge that those teams aren’t unbeatable but have I got a group of players who feel the same way?”

“I targeted five games (to win), Hitchin was one of them and with 15 minutes to go it was working fine.

“Gloucester has to be a bonus game, the league table doesn’t look too good, but we have to get something and the two Clevedon games then take on greater significance.”

Aaron Blakemore and Jason Wood both pulled a hamstring in the 1-0 win over Bashley and look set to miss the rest of the season along with Paul Metheringham (calf). Michael Whittington, Neil Ward (both groin) and Sam Duggan, who cut his head at Hitchin, are all doubts for Saturday’s game at the Corinium Stadium in Cirencester, Gloucester’s temporary home ground.