Sporting JLGB boss Gavin Sharpe has challenged his players to come out fighting after a lacklustre display against struggling Crumpsall.

Despite sneaking a 3-2 victory, Sharpe was unimpressed with his team’s performance and was left seething at aspects of the performance.

And with Hyde Park Rovers providing the opposition on Sunday, Sharpe has warned his players they cannot afford a repeat of last weekend’s showing.

“We were awful against Crumpsall and really didn’t perform,” he said.

“We were three goals ahead and we let them back into it because we were woeful.

“I had a few apologies from players because we didn’t play anywhere near the level we can do.

“But we won the game and that’s all that counts and we’re still in the title hunt.

“We’ve got some very tough games coming up so it would be great to go to Leeds and come back with all three points.”

Sporting will have to do without the influential Danny Jacobs for the clash against Rovers and with games against Republic of Mancunia 1st and Haroldeans coming up, Sharpe knows his side face a tough task to stay in the hunt.

“We’ve got a difficult run of games coming up and obviously Haroldeans have made a great start,” he added.

“But they’ve yet to play the teams around them and it will be interesting to see what they do then and if they drop any points.

“We’ve got to concentrate on Hyde Park because they’re a good team and I think they got a rude awakening when they lost to Republic of Mancunia 2nd.

“I don’t think they’ll want to slip up again and it should be a good game between two very even sides.”