Andy Watkins has urged Bath City fans to be patient as the players try to rediscover their form and confidence, stating: "We can still be a force in this league".
After 342 blank minutes, Watkins finally scored City's first goal of the season during Bank Holiday Monday's 2-1 home defeat to Havant & Waterlooville.
City had already gifted their visitors two calamitous goals by that point, though, and the expected cavalry charge failed to materialise as Havant comfortably saw out the closing stages.
It continued a miserable start to the season at Twerton Park but Watkins, while shocked by recent results, believes there are small signs of progress to build on.
"It's been a freak first few weeks but we will put it right," he vowed. "There is only one way we can go and that's up.
"Last season we were mid-table but then went on a really good run and only missed out on the play-offs by three points.
"We've had a bad start but there is still a lot of hope here and I hope the fans stick with us.
"On Monday we made two defensive errors – if that doesn't happen we win 1-0. We were unlucky in the last game against Chelmsford, hitting the bar.
"We were miles off it in the first two games but since then things have been better. We know they have to be better again.
"I think that's what we need – a first win, even just going ahead in a game. We have a good squad here and it will happen, it's just taking longer than we expected."
Watkins and Dave Pratt have yet to hit the heights they reached in the closing weeks of the last campaign, as their goals fired City to a seventh-placed finish.
But he insists he is feeling in good shape and believes the lack of creativity so far is due to the summer signings still bedding in.
"I'm fully fit and feeling as sharp as ever – pre-season is probably the fittest I have ever been," said the former Truro City striker.
"We had a lot of the ball against Havant but didn't create many chances and we have to look at why that's happening.
"Maybe it's just blending in with the rest of the squad, the new players getting used to my runs and where to put the ball.
"That understanding will come in time and when it does, we will be a force in this league."
Click here to listen to Andy Watkins' interview with Andrew Kerslake of Bath City Internet Radio.
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