YATE TOWN manager Craig Laird has told his players in no uncertain terms that they need to ‘step up to the mark’ and be consistently winning if they are to achieve anything in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West this season.
And Laird has said he will not tolerate anyone who fails to give their best as the club near the crucial Christmas period.
Laird has said of his squad: “They have to buy into this or some might have to move away.”
The Bluebells have been a model of inconsistency this season as highs like the brilliant 5-2 victory over Swindon Supermarine three weeks ago have combined with some lows.
Indeed, the most consistent Yate have been is in short winning runs, as they did in September against Wantage and Bridgwater and again in October, with triumphs over Bashley and Slimbridge, but, when hopes of a winning run start to mount, they lose.
Laird said: “We want good performances from the players where we are doing well consistently rather than having a great performance one week and then a poor one.
“I would rather see a situation where we are winning 1-0 or 2-0 than where we are winning 5-2 and then losing 3-2 (in their last match at Shortwood United).
“The players need to step up to the mark a bit and that’s what we will try and do over the next few weeks.” 
A leaky defence that, in October, conceded 11 goals in six matches, has also left Laird frustrated.
Now, as they return to action this Saturday after a weekend off when they travel to Banbury United, the manager wants the players to get themselves into gear and give the faithful fans something to get behind.
Laird said he was not criticising his defence but added: “With no disrespect to our opponents, the goals we have conceded are ones we are giving away rather than them creating them.
“It’s like two steps forward and three steps back. I am getting frustrated because I would like to have brought together a team which is hard to beat but this will be resolved in the next couple of weeks.”
Laird also insisted that he would not go cap in hand to Bluebells chairman Colin Pick and ask for more revenue to bolster his squad.
The manager added: “He (Pick) wants us to do well but we have been given a good budget and we need to give him value for money. 
“Before I go and ask him for more, we have to make sure we are doing that for him first of all and then he can do a bit for us.
“I don’t think we have earned the right to do that yet. We have not earned the right to knock on his door. We need to get our house in order and get value for money. That means more consistency.”
That must start with a win over Banbury on Saturday before a tough November where they face Merthyr in the cup followed by mid-table Bishops Cleeve, strugglers Wimbourne and then high-flyers North Leigh.
Laird said: “We need to beat Banbury because they turned us over at our home ground a couple of weeks ago but we have shown we can beat anybody.
“But we are making mistakes which are hurting us and we need to cut those out.”