Wisbech Town their own worst enemies in UCL Premier Division North home defeat to Loughborough Students

Wisbech have shot themselves in the foot on multiple occasions throughout the UCL Premier Division South season and were simply not good enough defensively on Saturday.

That was the verdict of manager Alex Street after a 3-1 home defeat to Loughborough Students ended the club's unbeaten seven-match sequence.

The Fenmen boss was delighted with his side's second-half showing in the club's final game at Fountain Fresh Park this season - but it came after they found themselves 3-1 down at the interval after shipping three goals in a crazy nine-minute spell.

Street said: "This team can't keep on going, one, two or 3-1 down and keep expecting to come back. We did it against Newark and we did it against Skegness, but that second-half performance I can't fault them.

"They gave me everything as we were short on numbers today we carried a player or two."

The Wisbech boss added: "When you are playing teams who move the ball well like Loughborough do and they work on it, what causes us problems is their 10 drops off my centre-halves and drops in, my defenders don't go with him, which leaves of our midfielders to pick him up, which then allows their deepest midfielder to get on the ball.

"We couldn't sort it out and it was just an easy pass around us. When you are looking at your squad and thinking you need to organise this, it just doesn't happen and they accept it.

"It caused us problems for 30 minutes and you can only shout at them so many times before they do it. I'm disappointed with the goals we've conceded.

"The first goal we had them under pressure and were doing quite well, apart from that extra bit of quality in the final third, and we had them on the back foot and created some good chances.

"But the ball comes to my right-back who, instead of hitting it straight up, comes back inside and gives a bit of a bobbly pass to my goalkeeper, who in turn has tried a first-time pass to my left-back.

"The ball has spooned in the air and that just sets the tone. They can squeeze us against the wind and we find ourselves 1-0 down.

"It's about a collection of errors for goals. They'll say it was pretty football but I'll say it was bad management and organisation on the pitch from us.

"Ethan (Wilson took his goal well and then you think let's regroup, keep our shape and see it out until half-time, but no they get a third which is bad defensive play collectively.

"You can't allow teams like Loughborough so much space through midfield."

Loughborough opened the scoring after 32 minutes before adding a second goal six minutes later.

Wilson hauled the Fenmen back into affairs a minute later before the Students went straight up the other end to add a third and that's the way it remained until the final whistle.

But Wisbech had the better of the second half and Street said: "I thought we were the better side in terms of the chances created. Toby (Allen) had a couple, Max had one at the end and Dan's been denied by a good save.

"That save is perhaps a match-winning moment because if that goes in that gives us momentum and we'd have pushed on."

Alex Street's side remains 15th in the league table but still have the potential to finish as high as 13th if they can win their final game at Heanor Town next weekend.

They then have the Cambs Invitation Cup final to play against Cambridge City on Tuesday, April 23, at Ely City.

"The rebuild starts this week," said Street.

"I've still got to have a chat with the chairman but I'm making plans to go forward.

"My squad have got two games left. We'll try to get a result at Heanor and then we've got a cup final to look forward to when we play a struggling Step Four side so we've got to have a right go at them.

"There is still something up for grabs after a bit of an up-and-down season where there has been a change of management and lots of changes, so it would be good to end with some silverware and leave the boys in good stead going into the summer."

Wisbech Town v Loughborough Students: George, Reed, Mattless, Briggs, Twite, Murphy (Roberts), Wilson, Ward, Williams, Wren, Murkin (Allen).