Brindley fumes after Southport collapse
Stafford manager Chris Brindley has warned his side they have to pick up the pieces quickly after a stunning collapse at Southport.
Relegation-threatened Rangers went to the third placed side in the Blue Square North as massive underdogs, only to storm into a 2-0 lead at Haig Avenue through Tom Thorley and Nick Wellecomme's first goal of the season.
That was with 25 minutes gone, only for the Marston Road men to capitulate in spectacular fashion before the break.
By the time the referee blew for half-time, the visitors were behind - and could find no reply in the second-half.
The words "unjust," "kamikaze" and "criminal" were just three used by Brindley to assess his side's demise and it came at a cost - their buffer from the relegation places shrunk from six points to five as a result.
With a trip to play-off chasing Alfreton tomorrow night and another tough test against league leaders Gateshead at Marston Road on Saturday, he knows they will have to respond - and fast.
The manager said: "We have got some really tough games and, with the way we keep shooting ourselves in the foot, all we are doing is giving teams around us the chance to catch us up.
"We have got to start taking points, thats the end of it. The most frustrating thing about it is we are playing well - we have had three games in seven days, could have won all three but ended up with nothing.
"It's unjust - but we have just got to get on with it."
Brindley is still stunned by how his side managed to leave Merseyside with nothing - although Liam Watson's side more than knew they had been in a game afterwards.
But none that matters a jot in a relegation fight, it's points rather than plaudits that make all the difference.
No one needs to tell Brindley that - and you can bet the players have been warned as well.
The Rangers boss said:"You had to be there to believe it, you really did. We controlled the game and then thanks to more kamikaze defending we lose silly goals and the game. It's hard to take to be honest.
"We were unlucky, but that isn't going to help out league position and, with where we are, even a point could have made the difference.
"It's criminal really - and it has to stop."
