RADCLIFFE Borough need three wins from their last seven games to avoid relegation into the North West Counties League.

That is the target set by assistant manager Paul McGuire following two damaging defeats this week – 4-1 at home to Lancaster City on Saturday and 2-1 at Cammell Laird on Tuesday night.

The Stainton Park outfit remained one point above the Evo-Stik Division One North drop zone following the latest round of matches.

Second-bottom Wakefield had the chance to leapfrog them last night with a tough match at third-placed Darlington 1883, which was played after the Radcliffe Times went to press.

But McGuire believes his players have what it takes to gather enough points to make the results of their rivals irrelevant.

“I believe nine points will keep us in this league and I think we have enough winnable games coming up to give us the three wins we need,” said McGuire, ahead of this weekend’s visit of 13th-placed Clitheroe.

“I think we need to be beating teams like Clitheroe at home, and we have also got games against teams around us coming up, like (bottom side) Ossett Albion, Padiham and Bamber Bridge.

“We also have a couple of games in hand over Wakefield, who I know have to play Darlington again before the end of the season, so there’s certainly still plenty to play for.”

Despite McGuire’s enthusiasm, there is no doubting Boro have had to roll with the punches this week.

Crowd favourite Steve Howson signed for neighbours Ramsbottom United last Friday, and a violent brawl – understood to be between visiting fans and officials from Rammy and opponents Lancaster City – marred what was already a bad day at the office on Saturday.

Then, on Tuesday night, Mark Ayres’ second-half equaliser at Cammell Laird was quickly cancelled out by a scrappy winner from the home side in a match McGuire believes Boro dominated.

“It has not been easy,” the assistant manager admitted.

“I think the whole club was gutted to lose Steve (Howson). We would have loved him to stay with us, but I guess there were financial implications for him and we wish him well.

“Saturday’s scenes were unbelievable – certainly not something I have ever experienced before.

“I have to say though that I don’t think it affected the result as Lancaster were already well in control of the game by that point. “Tuesday night’s defeat was the most difficult thing to take though.

“We put out a really youthful side, full of pace and energy, and it was the best I have seen us play for three or four weeks now.

“The lads missed a load of chances and should have won the game easily, but they scored two scrappy goals. That’s football I suppose, but there is no way we should have been on the losing side and we will take those positives into Saturday.”