PAUL Carden admits Warrington Town are in “a little rut” but has backed them to emerge from it a better side.

Yellows have now gone five games without a win and collected a single point from two meetings with Nantwich Town over the past seven days.

Tuesday’s goalless draw at Cantilever Park followed a 2-1 reverse at Weaver Stadium, but results elsewhere meant Carden’s men hold onto second place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

The Town boss admits his side are playing with anxiety but says they cannot allow themselves to fall deeper into their malaise.

“We’re snatching at things and that’s the little run we’ve had. That’s coming out in our play,” he told the Guardian.

“You can’t fault the effort and commitment. The lads are winning tackles and headers and there’s work-rate there.

“Sometimes, you go through these little ruts and if you stop, you don’t come out of them.

“It’s important that we keep working and trying to do the right things.

“When we come through the other side of it, we need to be better for it.

“We just have to keep backing the lads and encouraging them to get there.

“It does happen to the best of players, but we can’t stop. We have to keep going.”

Warrington have six games remaining as they try to secure their place in the play-offs and, more importantly, finish second or third to secure themselves a home semi-final tie.

Three of those games come in the next five days, starting with a long trip to Whitby Town tonight, Thursday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Town then face two clashes with play-off rivals as they travel to Farsley Celtic on Saturday, kick-off 3pm, before welcoming Shaw Lane to Cantilever Park on Tuesday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Carden admits the next week will be pivotal for their campaign and that it will be as big a test for himself and his coaching staff as it is for his players.

“I’ve said it for months, we can only accumulate as many points as we can and see where it leaves us,” he said.

“As it stands now, we’ve got to just get ourselves going and winning again.

“We’ve got to make sure that we as staff are good as well.

“It’s not just about the players, we have to make sure we’re right and on it.

“It is the collective that will get us results and get us back on track.”

Town will have to do without striker Tony Gray as he has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a medial knee ligament injury.

Winger Devarn Green has also returned to parent club Tranmere Rovers following the expiry of his loan.