Stalwart Matt Groves believes Dorchester Town's inconsistency is not a perennial problem and is sure the Magpies are capable of pushing for promotion to the Nationwide Conference.
Mick Jenkins' side won four points out of a possible 20 in January and book-ended the month with two 4-0 defeats.
Groves, nicknamed Groover, has made 369 appearances for the club, scoring 134 goals, in a Dorchester career spanning nine seasons. He has played in more games than any other player in the first team squad, with Justin Keeler and Mark Jermyn the next longest serving players.
Groves dismissed the suggestion that Dorchester slip up after Christmas year-on-year. "I think the last six weeks of last season we petered out but apart from that I think it is a bit of a myth," he said.
"In recent years, we went on a good run at the end of the season and won a play-off final to get in the Conference South.
"First year of the Conference South we were one win away from being in the play-offs and we probably fell away last season."
As to the recent run of results, the latest of which saw the Magpies defeated 4-0 at Hayes, Groves said: "It is a bit of a poor return. It is a bit disappointing really because I think before Christmas we were hitting a bit of form at Lewes and at Newport - we were on a bit of a roll. Then we lost 4-0 at home on New Year's Day to Newport and obviously things haven't gone so well since then.
"We are being punished for any mistakes we make at the back, we are not really having that much luck in attack and it is why the results have not gone so well for us recently."
Groves has had five partners up front this season - Jamie Brown, Giovanni Torre, David Town, Steve Flack and Sonyo Da Mata - and admits that could be a factor in the side's disjointed attack.
"It is never easy," said the 27-year-old. "You would much rather just play with one person. It is the best way of developing an understanding."
But the striker relishes the competition and is pleased with the quality Jenkins is bringing into the squad.
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