Pike: I've never had it tougher

The Gosport Borough boss is fighting to keep his side in the Southern League premier division.

Table-topping King’s Lynn hammered the strugglers 7-1 last night, ensuring they remained four points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.

And with chairman Iain McInnes desperate to protect the club’s top-flight status, the pressure is mounting.

Since he replaced Mick Catlin at the helm in December, Pike has picked up just one point in nine games.

Borough have shipped 38 goals in that period and scored just five, while the defeat to King’s Lynn was the heaviest to date.

Pike blamed individual errors for the latest reverse and admitted he faces the biggest challenge of his career.

The boss, who took Borough to the FA Trophy final at Wembley in 2014, said: ‘This is the toughest situation, as a manager, I have been in by a long chalk.

‘The footballing gods are not with us at the moment and when you are down you just get another kick in the teeth.

‘Time and time again we are coming up shor. Basic errors and individual mistakes cost us again.

‘If you do that against a side like King’s Lynn, you will get punished.

‘Once again, after getting back into the game with a goal, we concede in the 46th minute. You would think lessons would have been learned.

‘We have to start performing to a certain standard. It is up to us to make things happen.’

Borough welcome Merthyr Town to Privett Park on Saturday (3pm).

The Welsh visitors are just four places above Pike side, although 26 points better off.