Luke Goddard is calling on Whitchurch Alport supporters to stick with their side in the middle of a wretched run of results.

Alport fans slumped away from Winsford on Saturday disappointed again as the Reds fell to a surprise defeat and a third successive loss – the first time it’s happened under Goddard’s leadership.

Goddard praised the following and knows he cannot take their support for granted, but hopes they will continued to back the Reds home and away in their numbers.

“We had another fantastic following today,” said Goddard. “With our supporters scattered all around the ground, we really are the envy of many clubs in the North West Counties League in terms of support. Some teams would be happy to get 50 or 60 fans for a home game and yet here we are bringing that number with us for away games.

“At the moment it’s just not going for us. This is not about formations or tactics, this is about a very talented group of players who are simply out of form just now. I knew before this game that it was going to be a scrappy affair and with the state of the pitch it seemed to drag us down a level. If we’d been playing City of Liverpool today the intensity would have been much higher.

“We seem to be able to raise our game against the better sides, but now we’ve lost for the third time in a row against a team in a lower position than us in the table which is incredibly frustrating.

“This is the time where we ask all our fans to keep believing in what we are trying to do.

“We mustn’t forget how far we have come in a relatively short time but no one here is being complacent, we’re just having a sticky spell where we are struggling for goals.

“We didn’t start playing until they went in front but if Nicky Porter scores with that chance, we end up winning that game three or maybe 4-1. There were other occasions where the ball fizzed around the goalmouth but no one could apply the finishing touch. There’s no question that it’s in the final third where we are most needy.”

Goddard would have been doubly frustrated to see Alex Hughes limp out of action after just five minutes at the Barton Stadium. “It looks like the kind of injury that will keep him out for up to six weeks,” Goddard added.

“We obviously don’t know the extent of it until it’s X-rayed but the ankle was really swollen, and Cal our physio thinks it may even be ligament damage – we will have to wait and see.”

Whitchurch return to home soil this weekend when they face an in-form Irlam. It’s only a few weeks since Alport were topping the form table with six wins and a draw from seven league matches.

But since beating Charnock Richard the team have lost against Litherland, Ashton and now Winsford, nine points that Goddard expected to take. Add that to the 18 points lost from winning positions and the table could really have looked totally different.

Goddard also added that he felt this crucial time for everyone to come together and show some character.