JASON Matthews believes Weymouth will now have to “do it the tough way” to secure a play-off place, after their 3-0 defeat at Banbury on Saturday.

The Terras’ player-boss saw his side drop out of the top five after their loss to the Puritans.

He said: “We are going to have to do it the tough way now. It’s no good other teams dropping points around us when we aren’t picking up points either.

“The table doesn’t lie and a few of the lads need to have a long hard look at themselves and step up to the plate now. I am not a quitter and you have to move on. As tough as it is, the play-offs are still in our hands.”

With his side’s poor run of form being questioned, Matthews added: “I believe that I am the man to turn it around, I have done that to an effect this year.

“It’s a case of holding your nerve and if we can get two results against the top two it proves the doubters wrong. You always get it in football and it is part of the territory.”

Speaking further about their Puritans reverse, he added: “It was a crippling blow. We gave away another sloppy goal for the second as well as missing a penalty at 1-0 and we got what we deserved in the end.

“Kells (Adam Kelly) has wanted to take the penalties for a while, he stepped up and the keeper guessed right.

“He didn’t hit it with enough power and, from my own point of view, every penalty that is taken against me has been smashed in the corner and gives you no chance.

“We have missed a lot of penalties this year and that could prove costly at the end of the day.

“There was a little bit of ill-discipline from Coppy (Jordan Copp) with two bookings for dissent and I will have to clamp down on that.

“A lot of frustration is coming out within the boys but you have to channel it. That’s another person I will have missing for a game.”