The Conference title looks a remote possibility after two straight defeats, and now John Askey is calling on his Macc Town players to see out the season in style.

Because that’s what’s got them this far.

Level-headed to a fault, Askey can’t quite get why a degree of panic appears to have set in with his squad, and he’s urging them to finish with a flourish.

Saturday's loss at home to Nuneaton followed defeat at Gateshead, leaving the Silkmen playing catch-up and a chance of the title more remote than ever. But it's the manner of those defeats - and indeed their performances in recent weeks - that's causing some unrest.

“Apart from the first half against Altrincham we haven’t played well for three or four weeks, so we’ve got to get back to playing football again,” said the boss, whose team now sits seven points behind table-topping Barnet.

The good times have been rolling at the Moss Rose, and John Askey wants the Silkmen's swagger to return

“Hopefully that will happen this Saturday, I’m hoping the pitch won’t be quite as firm and we can get back to what we've been doing well.

“I don’t want them to panic, there are no excuses for us panicking on the ball, I’d prefer us to go down fighting and trying to do things the right way.”

There’s no getting away from the fact that Macc have been in a rut recently, and hosting second-placed Bristol Rovers, who ran out 4-0 winners when they last faced off over Christmas, is hardly the ideal game to end that slump.

Rovers have suffered a single defeat in 23 league matches, to Eastleigh earlier this month, and it looks like a straight slug-fest between them and Barnet for the title, and automatic promotion.

Adriano Moke is keeping things in perspective

But Askey is backing the Macc players to come through and show their mettle this weekend, and get one over on Rovers.

“We’re just on a bad spell, every team has them,” added the manager.

“We’re still in good stead and the players have been great, I’m trying to get the message to them that they’ve just got to believe in themselves again.

“They’ve got enough ability for it to come good again. It looks like a big gap to make up at the minute but it will look different if we can win on Saturday. We know there will be twists and turns before the end of the season, so if we can put another good run together, like we did at the start of the year, there’s still a chance we could top the league at the end.

“We need three more wins if you’re looking at the play-offs and I don’t mind if we crawl over the finish line, as long as we get over but everybody’s got to take stock and enjoy it.

"They should be enjoying the challenge, we’re in a fantastic position and as a player it’s what you crave. But we won’t look beyond the next game, we’ll focus everything on Saturday and trying to get all three points.”

The Silkmen will go into Saturday’s match with an almost clean bill of health. Concerns over the calf issue surrounding Paul Turnbull have eased which means that only left-back Scott Barrow is almost definitely out through injury.

Scott Barrow is likely to remain sidelined this weekend

“Scott’s still really struggling, we can’t get to the bottom of his problem, he’s desperate to get back playing again – and we’d love to have him back again, but then Alex Grant has been great there.

“Scott did train this week but suffered a reaction to it afterwards. We’ll see but I’m not very hopeful he’ll play.”

Goals are proving hard to come by at present and Askey still has designs on adding to his striking options before the deadline for loan transfer passes tomorrow (Thursday).

“I’ve made enquiries about a player who’s been playing in League One,” he revealed. “He’s very experienced and he’d be a good addition but I’m not sure he wants to make the move at this stage of the season.

“There have been very few people moving during this window but hopefully we can do something and get him in.”