MARK Harris has told Witton’s players not to panic as they prepare to take on title favourites FC United of Manchester on Saturday.

Albion’s chairman says their target is the same despite back-to-back defeats at Easter, believing that one more victory will secure a spot in the Northern Premier League’s top flight for another season.

“We have to recover our composure, me included,” said Harris, who spoke to the team in the dressing room minutes after the final whistle at Nantwich on Monday.

“I was very upset at full time, chairmen get stressed too you know!

“But I’m upbeat now, and it’s important to move on from last weekend.

“I know how frustrated the supporters are, trust me, but there are still 12 points to be played for. We probably need three to be ok.”

Blyth Spartans visit Wincham Park next weekend before trips to Ashton and the Stamford on the season’s concluding afternoon.

Witton start tomorrow’s encounter three points – and two places – clear of the Premier Division’s relegation zone.

Before losing, on both occasions by three goals, to Whitby and Nantwich they had been beaten in only one of their previous nine league fixtures.

Harris said: “A tight-knit togetherness saw us through that run.

“Whether we stay up, which I firmly believe we will do, or go down, the manner in which we do so is crucial.

“Remember when we lost 1-0 to King’s Lynn? The performance left everybody happy.

“We’re in a scrap, so let’s show some fight.

“It’s easy to forget context, something I do too.

“The past two performances have been poor, and there’s no escaping that.

“However before that we’d put together a good sequence. Have those players suddenly turned bad? I don’t think so.”

Asked if Tony Sullivan’s future would be determined in the next three weeks – something the manager himself conceded earlier this week – Harris was clear.

“When Tony took over, he was set three targets,” he said.

“Cut the wage bill, get us through to the next round of the FA Trophy and keep us in this division. He reached two of those some time ago.

“What I asked of the management team hasn’t changed from the moment they arrived, so they’re under no illusions.

“I’ve asked Tony and Kevin Hodgson to present their plans for next season to the board when we next get together.

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought in part about the club’s long-term future.

“But some of those decisions – like budgets – are on hold until we know in what division we’ll play next year.”