YATE TOWN boss Dave Mogg says his players must take the responsibility after they were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division.

He watched in despair as his side conceded three goals in five minutes late on in the 4-2 defeat at home to Stourbridge before letting a three-goal lead slip in the last 30 minutes to lose 4-3 at local rivals Clevedon Town which sealed their fate.

A win on Tuesday night would have taken it down to a nail biting last day of the season for Yate but instead Clevedon moved out of the relegation zone.

Jake Reid put Yate ahead after 34 minutes and Dean Griffiths doubled that advantage five minutes later.

Ten minutes after the break Griffiths gave Yate a seemingly unassailable three-goal lead but Pete Sheppard scored to begin Clevedon’s fight back after 63 minutes.

Griffiths had to go off injured and Mogg felt that was the turning point as Jamal Easter netted with 15 minutes to go and Sheppard scored his second to level the scores with just four minutes left.

A draw was not enough for either side but Matthew Walsh scored Clevedon’s winner with two minutes remaining.

Holding onto leads has been a problem throughout the campaign for Yate and Mogg also points to the 2-1 defeat at Hitchin where they led, meaning they have effectively dropped nine crucial points in the run-in alone.

“It has happened on numerous occasions,” said Mogg.

“The reason why is that the players stop working hard as they did in the previous hour, they haven’t got the mindset to see out the game for 90 minutes.

“A lot of the attitudes are poor. Fitness levels can be questioned at this time of year but the mental strength has been a weakness all season.

“I’ve never played in a side with such a lack of fight, where the heads go down so easily. There’s not enough characters in the dressing room, they think they know the game but they haven’t got a clue.”

Although Yate cannot mathematically stay up, they still head to Cambridge with plenty to play for and are desperate to finish above their local rivals Mangotsfield United who currently prop up the division.

Team Bath are expected to return to University football following their decision to resign from the Conference, while many clubs are struggling through the economic crisis, with Halesowen Town and Merthyr Tydfil reporting the biggest problems in the Southern League.

Yate cannot finish any higher than 21st but know it could be crucial to hold onto that place in case some clubs get a reprieve from relegation.

“It is an incentive for the club,” said Mogg. “The leagues are always restructuring due to financial irregularities so it is possible.

“Who knows where the end of the season will take a lot of clubs. In the credit crunch football clubs do well to survive.”

Meanwhile, Mogg is set to discuss his own future with chairman Peter Jackson at the end of the season.

“Since February 12 I’ve ate, slept and drunk Yate Town,” he said.

“There’s a bigger picture and it feels like I’m dealing with little kids at times. If I’m offered the job I’ve got to decide whether or not I want to put myself through that turmoil.”

What has gone wrong for Yate Town this season? Can they bounce back? Have your say below.