YOU know a club hasn’t had the best of weeks when the captain publicly apologises for his performance levels.

Following Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Hartley Wintney, Matt Wright tweeted: “No doubt about it. I personally have to be better and also as a team.

“Apologies for the last couple of games.

“We need you all more than ever now to get behind the boys as you always do.”

Taunton Town are on a run of three games without a win, their last three points coming against Farnborough.

That game was won 2-1, but it could easily have been 4-2 or 5-2 with all the chances created.

The Peacocks then looked on course to beat Swindon Supermarine, only to invite pressure onto them and concede a late equaliser, before defeat to Harrow Borough and the draw with Hartley.

Undoubtedly, there has been a dip in the team’s performance; they still have the best defence in the division (45 conceded to Weymouth’s 47), but in the last month they’ve started conceding the sloppy goals which were the issue around the turn of the year.

And that’s meant a blip in terms of results.

The key now is ensuring that a blip does not become a slump akin to Merthyr’s (no win in five and a 7-1 loss at home to Dorchester Town on Tuesday).

Or indeed Hendon’s... they won eight of their first 12, but with just two wins since December 8, they’ve slipped from play-off contention to relegation candidates.

In short, it could be a lot worse.

‘Perspective’ has come up a lot this season, and it’s true that second place in March, one point off the top, is streets ahead of where Taunton fans could realistically have expected there team to be in their first season at this level.

Even fourth place (the lowest the Peacocks are likely to finish) would have to be hailed as a success.

But we all know that the Taunton management and players want more than that.

With the teams in fourth, fifth and sixth all visiting the Viridor Stadium in the next month, now’s the time to show how much they want it.