NPL Division One East
Craig Ogilvie feels the tide is turning for struggling Tadcaster Albion but he agrees that himself and Neil Sibson face a huge challenge.
Performances and results are improving for Tadcaster who remain winless after 13 league games.
Tad came extremely close to claiming that elusive victory on Tuesday night against Long Eaton United who snatched a 2-2 draw in the last minute.
“It is a relegation fight, there’s no two ways round it,” Ogilvie told Non League Yorkshire.
“We knew that when we came in and we’re not panicking at this moment in time.
“I’ve said to the chairman ‘I start panicking when you start panicking’.
“There’s plenty of points up for grabs and we’re seeing improvement in the team in every game we play.
“In the first week or two, would we have got anything out of the (Long Eaton) game?
“I don’t think we would have done so we have to take positives out of the points we are getting.
“I knew the scale of the job when I took it on.
“If you follow Tadcaster you have to take heart knowing we haven’t taken it on lightly.
“We know the situation the club is in and we feel we can turn it around.”
Tad now head to Lincoln United for a crunch clash with another side with few points.
“It is another game where we are playing someone around us,” he said.
“In ten games’ time it might look like a must-win game but you could argue it is now.
“In terms of a confidence point of view we’ll take a win from anywhere, whether its Worksop or Lincoln.
“I can’t ask for more at the minute.
“The lads are working hard and doing all they can. We’ll keep going.”
The second half display against Long Eaton has buoyed Ogilvie who wasn’t impressed with the first half.
Tad were only a goal down at the break.
They equalised straight after half-time and Nathan Curtis’ penalty appeared to have won it until Long Eaton mounted one last attack.
“We were awful in the first half and it was one of the worst halves I’ve seen from a team I have been involved with,” he said.
“The passing wasn’t there.
“We were mis-placing headers and if someone had said at half-time that we’d get a point I’d have snapped their hand off.
“Because of the manner of how we have got the point it is a bit sickening but I’m focussing on the fact that at half-time it could have been 5-0 to them.”
Speaking before Curtis’ exit to Ossett United, Ogilvie admitted more work on the recruitment front was needed.
“In our position we have to continue to strengthen and bring players in who we believe will help the club,” he said.
“Pass (on how many more will come in).
“If you ask any manager they’ll say if anyone better comes along, you’re going to sign them and that’s the sort of situation we are in at this moment in time.”