Ian Hazel has urged Carshalton Athletic to shrug off Tuesday night’s disappointment against Margate and focus on the seven games they have left to secure their Ryman Premier survival.

The Robins slumped to a dismal 2-1 home defeat to fellow relegation candidates Margate at a wet and windy Colston Avenue, leaving them firmly in the mire.

But with struggling Billericay Town and Tooting & Mitcham coming up over the Easter period, Hazel wants his charges to look forward, not back.

He said: “We do not have time to sulk or be too hard on ourselves.

“We have to brush ourselves down and get on with it.

“Yes it was a blow but we have some big games coming up and we still have a good chance of staying up.

“We have to get back into training on Thursday night, stay positive and focus on what is ahead of us.”

Despite being buoyed by Saturday’s 2-1 win at Ashford (David Ray and Barry Stevens on target), Carshalton were on the back foot for much of the game against the Kent side and despite equalising through Neil Lampton never looked like pushing on and claiming a much-needed win.

And the Robins caretaker boss admitted his side had come off second best.

Hazel added: “What was most frustrating was the players did not look up for it.

“I thought we had turned the corner with our recent results but I do not think that will be the case now until the end of the season.

“We are OK one week and then poor the next and that has been the story of our whole season.

“It is going to be very difficult to change that in the time we have left but the players have to keep believing.”

Carshalton Athletic’s next three matches: Apr 3 Billericay Town (h), 5 Tooting & Mitcham (a), 10 Harrow Borough (h)