AN unhappy Danny Johnson criticised his Radcliffe Borough team – despite victory in the Doodson Cup on Tuesday.

The Belvoir Stadium outfit defeated Droylsden 3-2 with goals from Matt Davies, Richard Smith and a stoppage-time winner from Steve Foster.

But after his side threw away a two-goal first half lead, the manner of the first round victory over their fellow First Division North strugglers disappointed the Boro boss.

“It was possibly our worst performance of the season even though we won,” Johnson told Radcliffe Times.

“I was disappointed with the manner in which we didn’t kill off the game and the way we capitulated in the second half. We were careless and disjointed which is very unlike us.

“In the first half we should have been 5-2 or 6-2 up with the chances we created and missed.

“Then early in the second half we lost one of our key players in Matty Davies to a hamstring injury and we just never recovered.”

On a difficult night for Boro, Johnson was also left to rue a thigh injury to defender Jamie Forbes ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy second round tie against Buxton.

And with captain Smith also suspended for the game, the Boro boss is looking for other players to step up against the high-flying Premier Division outfit.

“The midweek match has had its repercussions unfortunately,” admits Johnson.

“The biggest issue is losing Matt, who is likely to miss six to eight weeks, and possibly Jamie who also went off as a precaution with a thigh problem. Ric being suspended is a big blow for us too.

“The game against Buxton is massive for the club.

“They are a team at the right end of the table in the division above us and we will need the players that come in to up their game.

“But we will dust ourselves down, bandage a few players up and see if we can give them a run for their money.”

It was another bad day at the office on Saturday for 18th-placed Boro who conceded four goals for the third successive league game when they lost 4-1 at sixth-placed Mossley.

For the second game in a row it was Bevan Burey who scored Boro’s consolation but having shipped 12 goals in recent weeks against three of the top sides, Johnson is concerned with Boro’s play in the final third at both ends of the pitch.

“The chances we had were excellent but we just couldn’t take them, while the goals we conceded were really poor,” he said.

“We really need to sharpen our boots.”

Boro fans have been boosted by the news last season’s captain and players’ player of the year and players’ player of the year Danny Lafferty has re-signed for the club.

The centre back, who left Boro in the summer, returns to the Belvoir Stadium after an unsuccessful spell at Premier Division outfit Trafford where he failed to hold down a first-team berth.

“Danny offers that little bit of extra experience at the back which is what we need because we have been shipping goals of late,” Johnson added.