Silkmen boss Keith Alexander was in a bullish mood when we caught up with him after training today but at the same time also aware of the need to see a marked improvement from his side against Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night.

"There is no getting away from the fact that Saturday was a big blow to our chances. But there are still ten games to go and to that extent still all to play for. Football takes no prisoners and their late goal made all the difference. Had we held out for another thirty seconds people would have looked at the result and thought we had done well to pick up a point on our travels. But we didn't and we need to ensure we do better tomorrow night," explained Keith.

"It's mine and Gary's job to lift the lads and that started on the journey on the way back north. But ultimately there is only so much you can do. The lads have to stand up and be counted not only for the future of this football club but their own careers. Being part of a side that gets relegated to the Blue Square Premier isn't going to look good on anyone's CV!"

"It is going to be tough as Dagenham, despite losing on Saturday, have seen a big upturn in their fortunes. But everyone seems to be losing to Peterborough at the moment. They're a big, strong team and John Still has got them playing to their strengths. But picking up at least a point is what we'll be going there to do. There's every chance I will be making a few changes but wholesale changes aren't really the order of the day given how close we are to the end of the campaign. We just don't have enough time to experiment."

"There was some criticism levelled at us for being too negative at the weekend but I don't see how having three forwards up front can be regarded as that. It's just that we didn't make enough of the possession we had and that's what disappointed me most. So that is certainly one area I will be looking to see an improvement in tomorrow."

"But ultimately it is not our away form that is costing us. They always say if you pick up a point on your travels and win your home matches then you won't go far wrong. And I believe it is our form at the Moss Rose, between now and the end of the season that will determine our ultimate fate. Quite simply if we win our home games we will be fine."

"That's a big ask I know in light of past results but we have to go into the games believing we can achieve that. I haven't set any targets in terms of points but I think it will be below fifty, a figure that a lot of people have mentioned. A lot of the teams around us are due to play each other, ourselves included. We've still got to go to Wrexham and Chester plus home games against Barnet and Mansfield."

"They are going be key games and ones we have to target. But for now our minds are focused on Dagenham."