"It's been absolute murder" - Gloucester City boss Mike Cook can't wait for dismal campaign to be over

Gloucester City's time in National League North comes to an end on Saturday with a home game against Scunthorpe United - and manager Mike Cook cannot wait for the season to be over.

The Tigers were beaten 4-1 at Curzon Ashton last weekend, going in front through Owen Brain’s second goal for the club, but two goals from Craig Mahon and strikes from former Cheltenham Town loanee Jimmy Spencer and Stefan Mols sealed their fate.

City’s 27th defeat of their dismal campaign left Cook keen to look to the future, with City set to drop into the Southern League Premier Division.

“I am looking forward to next season,” he said. “I can’t wait for this one to end to be brutally honest as it has been absolute murder for everybody.

“Mainly because of the relegation but the performances have not been anywhere near where they need to be and overall we just haven’t been good enough.”

Cook is enthused by the promise of young players like Brain, signed from Bristol Manor Farm, and Josh Barlow, who came from Longlevens but has professional experience with Shrewsbury Town.

“We have got three and a half months to sort this out now so we will be looking at a few people,” he said.

“Owen has come in, he has shown flashes, but he has been playing a couple of leagues below this so it was always going to be tough for him.

“He has shown enough that we can bear with him and have a look at him for next season I think.

“Josh has come in late and thanks to Longlevens for letting him come to us, that is something we won’t forget.

“Hopefully, I can get in the five players that I want to get in, the ones that we need to shake it up drastically.

“We still have players that have a year or two left that we might have to bear with or they might move on elsewhere.”

On the defeat in Greater Manchester to a Curzon side set for a play-off place, Cook said: “It’s down to key moments.”

He added: “I thought in the first 20 minutes they were far better than us.

“It took us a while to settle into a different formation as we had a few square pegs in round holes, which is what we are down to at the moment.

“I thought they kept trying, I didn’t think they were disgraced.

"At 1-1 when Teddy (Rowe) goes through - and this is no disrespct to Teddy as we haven’t lost because of him - but if he scores it’s 2-1, with 25 minutes to go and it’s a different game.

“We are struggling for left-sided players. Jamie Reckord is struggling and we didn’t want to play Harry Pinchard there again, and I thought he was great.

“There was some great goalkeeping by Jake (Dennis) as well. After not starting particularly well in his first couple of games he came back in and this was probably his best game all-round, shot-stopping, his distribution was excellent.

“We just need to be a little bit better if we want to play the sort of football that we want. We have too many who are not quite there for us.

“But everything was about those away supporters today. They turned up, in their fancy dress having made the trip, enjoying the day, clapping the players off, what a bunch of people.

“The fans at home have been fantastic as well, and it gives you a lot of heart when you are stood here most weekends this season and your weekend are ruined because of results, it’s fantastic.

“We have to keep plugging away as these people are so important to the club, as players will come and go but supporters will see you through it."

Curzon Ashton: Ollerenshaw, Barton, Richards, Poscha, Matthews, Sinclair (Hughes 82), Hayhurst, Mols, Mahon (Campbell 85), Griffiths, Spencer (Waring 87). Subs not used: Mason, Kenyon.

Gloucester: Dennis, Duffus, Hamilton, Rowe, Pinchard, Liggett (Creed 78), Hanks, Brain (Smalley 71), Barlow, Smile (Durrell 36), Wright. Subs not used: Thompson, Robinson