Manager Shaun Gale issues ultimatum to under-performing Gosport Borough players after latest Southern League away defeat

Boro’s ‘woeful’ away Southern League Premier South form continued at the weekend with a 4-1 beating at lofty Hanwell.

It was the club’s sixth away loss in seven league fixtures this season, with their only points coming in a 1-0 win at Winchester on August Bank Holiday Monday.

Harvey Rew quickly cancelled out Daniel Rowe’s ‘absolute worldy’ sixth-minute opener for Hanwell with an equally fine shot.

But Boro found themselves 3-1 down at half-time and later conceded a fourth against a Hanwell side promoted from the Isthmian League last season.

‘We needed 11 men out there and we had seven or eight, that’s not enough,’ stated Gale after the defeat left Boro in 12th spot, five points off the play-off zone.

‘We didn’t lose at Hanwell because of our tactics, we lost because of the (lack of) sheer desire to defend our goal and do the basics well.

‘I’m the one that has to take the flak (from supporters), and rightly so - I’m the manager, I signed all these players.

‘Some of them have got to step up and come to the party. Not enough of them are doing that at the moment.

‘It’s a brutal industry (management) and you have to be ruthless. I learnt that at Havant when I probably stuck with a group too long. I’m not going to do that again.

‘I will be ruthless and I will get rid of players. There comes a time when you have to say ‘enough is enough’.

Though Gale doesn’t read social media himself, he knows his sons do - and they have told him about seeing comments saying he should be sacked.

‘I’m not prepared to allow people to take it out on me and see my family suffer,’ he stated.

‘I don’t look at social media but my boys do, though I’ve told them not to. It’s not nice, but that’s the world we live in.

‘Normally those comments are written by people who have never been a manager, or been a manager for one season and have a gripe.

‘I have been in the game since I was 16 and I’m now 53, so I must have done something right. But I’m not perfect, I’m still learning.

‘People saying I should be sacked … everyone’s entitled to their opinion. They’ve obviously got nothing better to do.

‘This is a big week. The players have to stand up and be counted.’

Asked about bringing in new players, Gale responded: ‘I already have some irons in the fire.’ And what are the chances of new arrivals this week, ahead of next Saturday’s home clash with Dorchester Town? ‘I wouldn’t rule it out.’

There was one new face on show at Hanwell with Southampton Under-18 striker Tommy Higgs introduced for his debut as a second half sub.

He almost crowned his first appearance with a goal, but saw a diving header kept out by a great save.

‘Tommy was offered to me by an agent,’ explained Gale. ‘We’ve got three centre forwards in the building, but you can never have enough players and we’ve been light. Tommy was like a breath of fresh air.’