SAUCHIE boss Fraser Duncan admitted that his team's performance during Saturday's defeat to fellow Super League strugglers Carnoustie was not good enough.

The Wee County side were undone by a goal in each half from the visitors, with their misery compounded by Jon Tully's red card in the second half, and Duncan bemoaned the poor display which saw them slip to a fourth defeat in five games.

The manager was not in the mood to make excuses following what could prove to be a damaging loss for Sauchie and their hopes of keeping their place in the top division next season.

Duncan told Advertiser Sport: “There was terrible defending throughout the whole team today. There was not one good point from that game which I could talk about because we were shocking for 90 minutes. We have not got enough quality. Some of the players are not good enough at the moment. Some of the injuries are killing us as well. Darren Cummings and David Morrison are out again and their seasons are probably finished. When you lose important players through injury you at least want to get the three points but we have not even managed to do that.

“Some of the refereeing decisions were poor as well. We are going on about referees all the time but the standard is shocking. The decision-making is a disgrace. But the refereeing performance actually suited the way we played.”

Duncan believes his side are now in danger of losing their Super League status and admitted that he is struggling to find a way to turn his team's fortunes around as the season enters its final stages.

He said: “I am gutted, this is the worst I have ever felt in seven years here. We have hit an all-time low and to be honest I can't see any way we are getting out of it. At the moment we would snap your hand off if you were offering us a playoff position. We are in big trouble just now.”

The gaffer is hoping for a big reaction from his players when they face high-flying Kelty Hearts in the Fife and Lothians Cup quarter final on Wednesday, but admits he is fearful of another damaging loss.

Duncan added: “I am gutted, and I don't know where we go from here to be honest. We have a quarter-final against Kelty on Wednesday and we would be as well phoning Kelty and telling them not to bother because they will wipe the floor with us if we play like that again. We need a reaction but I have been calling for that for weeks and it hasn't happened so I don't know where that is going to come from.”