Halstead Town manager Mark Benterman isn't panicking as defeats hit their Thurlow Nunn League division one promotion bid

A 3-2 defeat at AFC Sudbury Reserves means Halstead have lost three out of their last five in the league, but they are still sitting fifth and only two points off third place so Benterman (pictured) isn’t concerned.

“It makes it harder (to get promoted) that’s for sure, but we still have a target to reach,” he said.

“Looking at the league form this year and the only team to be producing it regularly have been Wivenhoe, but we’re not worrying about other teams.

“Even though we’ve lost three out of the last five, we’re still in a strong position and the fact that we’re still in the mix shows what type of league it is this year. Everyone goes through a blip, but you have to hope that you come out of it stronger.

“I think we’re only being negative about it because of the great start that we made.

“It happens and we have to work together to get through a sticky period.

“I believe the performances are there so we’re not panicking at all.”

Benterman will be looking for a response when his team travel to Dereham Town tomorrow and, with two weeks without a game coming up after their visit to Norfolk, he knows it will be important to take a positive result into that fallow period.

However, the Humbugs boss is also looking forward to an opportunity to work with his players on the training pitch and allow them some recovery time.

He added: “We’ll use the time to get players fit if they’ve been carrying knocks and we’ll work hard in training.

“We had a ten-day spell without a game earlier in the season and that helped us so we’ll use it again this time.”

Central defender Lee Green will be out for the trip to Dereham with an ankle ligament problem that is set to sideline him for a month, while new-signing Sam Cripps is not available as the striker has a prior engagement with the Essex and Suffolk Border League representative side.