HULLBRIDGE Sports boss Darren Manning admitted his side need to change their mentality ahead of tonight’s trip to Leyton Athletic.

Sports have suffered back-to-back Essex Senior League defeats for the first time this season after losing to Redbridge and Clapton in the last seven days.

And Manning is hoping Hullbridge, who are third in the standings, will bounce back to winning ways when they visit second-from-bottom Leyton Athletic.

“We need to adjust the mentality of the players when we are playing the teams who are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table,” said Manning.

“When we’re playing the teams who are around us at the top of the table, the boys seem to raise their game.

“But they lower their quality levels when playing against the teams that, on paper, we should be beating.

“Football matches are not won on paper and so it’s disappointing to see the players lower their standards.

“We can’t do that tonight against Leyton Athletic.”