PICKERING Town boss Rudy Funk did not hold back in his post-match assessment in a scathing review of his side’s performance against Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, deeming it “not acceptable”.

The Pikes travelled to the Ebac Northern League division one table-toppers on Saturday, but were the architects of their own downfall as they fell to a heavy 5-2 defeat.

Funk made a number of changes to the starting line-up from last weekend’s 3-0 loss at home to Whitley Bay, with Tom Godden and Dylan Muggeson

Forbes handed starts and new-signing Kofi Appiah making his debut in place of injured captain Wayne Brooksby.

However, he admitted that although his side were not at full strength, that was no excuse for their below-par performance.

“People have been out, some of our players, but that’s not how you work in football,” he told the club’s media team.

“In football you play with what you’ve got and you prepare with what you’ve got.

“Our preparation was spot on, but at the end of the day we let ourselves down in so many areas when we find the ball, we’ve done things which, I’ve got to be honest, I wasn’t very pleased about.

“We gave the ball away too cheaply and at the end of the day you pay the price. 

“To come to the top of the league side, which with their form that they’re in, everybody should have been a little bit alert and more at it, but there’s plenty of things which I have to think about now.”

Pickering were behind after just 12 minutes at the SecuriCorp Stadium, Liam Jarvie playing a superb through ball in behind to Liam Adamson, who made no mistake to slot the ball home under Quinaceo Hunt.

Adamson then turned provider for striker Eddie Thomas to double Newton’s lead seven minutes before the interval, with his fierce effort finding the back of the net after smashing in off the crossbar.

The Pikes wrestled themselves back into the tie in the 42nd minute after breaking the hosts’ offside trap, Appiah bursting forward to collect Bruno Pilatos’ pass before chipping Decklan Greenwood to halve the deficit.

But two goals in nine minutes shortly after the interval killed off any hopes of a further fightback from Funk’s charges.

Midfielder Ethan Wood found the back of the net from 25 yards out with the pick of the goals in the 47th minute, before Adamson scrambled in his second of the match after Hunt had initially made a smart save.

Damian Gilliga, Liam Love and Matty Dawes were introduced for Pickering, who were handed the chance to make the scoreline more respectable from the penalty spot, with McKenzie Diciccio making no mistake from the spot-kick.

The Pikes were left feeling aggrieved soon after when Dawes was brought down in the box after weaving past three defenders, but it was Newton who would have the last word when substitute Jack Naylor capitalised on a Hunt fumble to easily slot in their fifth goal with two minutes remaining.

Funk was especially critical of his side’s mindset and performance after the interval, having left themselves in with a chance of another upset against a title-challenging team.

“At half time you talk in the changing room what you can do and what you shouldn’t do and how you should approach the second half, but a lot of people, they were still in the changing room. 

“To me, that’s not acceptable.

“I keep saying this and I’ve said it on numerous occasions, it’s not acceptable.

“I think it’s about time that our players listened to the interview and they can see for themselves or watch the videos which are put on the league system or wherever they can watch them, that they can see how many mistakes that they do make.

“The mistakes, they cost you goals, and fair play to Newton, they’re just a good side with good players. 

“They move the ball around quite easily and I’m sure everyone at Pickering, we wish them all the best.”

The result leaves the Pikes precariously in 17th position, just two points above last-placed Thornaby, and Funk hopes that his team can produce a much-improved performance in their relegation six-pointer against Penrith on Saturday (3pm).

“Every game for us is big because we’re still lingering very close to the relegation zone, so every game is tough if it’s Penrith or whoever it is,” he admitted.

“But you cannot, when you prepare the way that we prepared and come and do your own things, that’s something which I personally can’t see and that will get eliminated, but I don’t think that it can happen overnight.”