KEIGHLEY head coach Dan McGee believes his squad should already have the desire required to gain a must-win victory when they face Pontefract on Saturday.

The Yorkshire One side have been in poor form, winning only one of their last five, and sit third-from-bottom in the table.

Pontefract are level on points with the Rose Cottage side who also play 11th-placed Bridlington the week after.

Although, McGee does not think the fixtures will defy their season, he has already aimed to achieve at least eight points.

He said: "We need to put a great performance in if we are going to win.

"It’s a long season, we’re not saying if we don’t win them then that’s it.

"Realistically, Pontefract are going to be down there with a few others, so we want to be putting some points on the board.

"Hopefully I won't need to motivate the players so it should be an interesting battle.

"They won’t defy our season but there is no hiding that these are important games.

"If we win them two we will be in a healthy place so they are definitely the games that we are targeting victories in."

Keighley will visit Moor Lane on the back of a 27-12 defeat to Leodiensian.

McGee's men received a week off due to England's World Cup exploits at the weekend.

Although, the head coach has not let England's run to the final distract his players for their own task ahead.

Speaking firstly on that defeat, McGee said: "We made it tough for ourselves. The performance wasn’t brilliant.

"At the minute we are inconsistent, one minute we are brilliant and the next awful.

"We didn’t seem to put the phases together and play how we can.

"That was disappointing, knowing what the boys are capable of. It just didn’t seem to happen."

He added: "We trained hard on the Tuesday.

"We have been working on the patterns of play, that is the main thing, making sure the players know where they need to be at the right time.

"It's about getting the boys working hard for each other."

The 12th-placed side have only won two games this term, against top half sides Old Crossleyans and Selby, gaining bonus points on each occasion.

McGee knows historically his side are slow starters after losing their first three fixtures last campaign.

The Keighley boss feels once he gets his injured players back then a shoot up the league will be on the horizon.

He said: "We were in a similar position last year, for some reason we don’t really start well.

"Beating Crossleyans and Selby, who are good sides, we showed how we played, and those were bonus point wins.

"Having got the players to do it, we have just had a few out with injuries, which seems to be a problem with a lot of teams around the country.

"We have got a good group, it is just about getting the best 18 lads out there."