Published: Thursday, 28th January, 2010 1:00pm

Tuttle set to wield axe after latest setback

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Cinderford Town 4 Bracknell Town 1

Skipper Gary Smith has been one of the few consistent performers during a very difficult season for the Robins.

BRACKNELL manager David Tuttle finally looks to have lost patience with his under-performing side following their latest setback at fellow strugglers Cinderford Town on Tuesday night.

The Robins slumped to their 14th straight defeat in all competitions on Tuesday and have now lost 19 of their 20 Southern League games so far this season.

Tuttle had remained very loyal to his players during their dreadful run but the latest defeat appears to have been the final straw for the under pressure Robins boss who is promising widespread changes.

He said: "There will be changes at the weekend as some of the players will be leaving the club. We're in a bad situation and we need to get some new blood in.

"I've been extremely patient with the players this season but this squad has shown me now that they can't get results in this league.

"I can't fault their commitment and enthusiasm and they talk a good game off the pitch, but when it comes to it on the field they just don't produce.

"We've got to the stage now where the players don't trust each other anymore and are playing as individuals rather than as a team. When that happens you've got to make changes."

Tuttle has already managed to sign former Sandhurst centre half Matt Weston and is also hoping to bring in a couple of loan players over the next week.

However, with a tough trip to Frome Town this Saturday and then a home game against play-off chasing Paulton Rovers next Tuesday, time is running out for the Robins.

Tuesday night's defeat in their vital relegation encounter leaves them seven points from safety and Tuttle faces an increasingly desperate battle to avoid the drop with 22 games remaining.

Cinderford's Sam O'Sullivan proved to be their chief tormentor on Tuesday as he fired home a hat-trick in a game Tuttle had described beforehand as "their biggest of the season."

O'Sullivan fired the hosts into a 2-0 lead at the break after breaking the deadlock after just five minutes and then adding a second on 28 minutes.

The Robins had created a couple of openings of their own but failed to take them and Kyle Bassett made them pay by making it 3-0 just 10 minutes into the second half.

O'Sullivan then completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot 13 minutes after the break to make the game safe as Bracknell were again punished for some poor defending.

Substitute Danny Blatchford pulled a goal back for the Robins with 18 minutes to go, but it proved to be no more than a consolation effort and Tuttle conceded his side had been second best on the night.

"We were the worst team out of two very poor teams," admitted Tuttle.

"It was a very poor game but we didn't show any fighting spirit which was the most disappointing thing.

"If we'd played a better side we'd have been hammered and the defeat has certainly made things harder."

Bracknell's scheduled home game against Hungerford Town last Saturday was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.