SPHINX boss Luke Hopkins has questioned his side’s commitment to the cause after watching his side fall to a 2-0 defeat away at Lye Town in the Midland Premier Division.
First half goals from Kieron Northwood (10) and Kevin Nickle (25) handed the home side a 2-0 lead half-time.
And despite showing more fight after the break, Sphinx were unable to find a breakthrough and suffered their third defeat of the season.
It was the third meeting between the two sides this season with Sphinx getting the better of their rivals in the FA Cup but this time Lye got their revenge to the annoyance of Hopkins.
He said: “We need to toughen up and become more ruthless.
“We started the game well and the first 20 minutes we played as we had planned but a mistake cost us again and before we knew it a second one followed. We panicked.
“If I’m completely honest it’s just not good enough. The decisions they are taking are madness. After the goals went in it looked like some of the players felt they were only there because they had to be.
“I don’t force anyone to turn up, all I ask if they do turn up that they are are committed to the cause and do the job they’ve been asked to do.”
Hopkins did get a reaction from his players in the second half but he feels a lack of clinical edge in front of goal let them down.
He added: “I know we were 2-0 down but in the second half I thought we got into the game and it was a pretty even affair.
“If you look at it like that we really should be coming away with a point. But the ability to make the right decision at the right time even when it’s a simple one has killed us.
“Balls need to stick up front and any half chances need to be testing keepers at the very minimum.
“I hadn’t been too concerned in previous games as the chances have come and we have scored. Based on the law of average, if we have ten chances we will score a couple, but against good teams they are limited and it needs to be more ruthless.”
