Stuart McCall watched City plunge again and admitted: It’s looking desperate.

McCall’s misfiring side cut their own throats at Lincoln, with poor defending gifting the home side both goals in a 2-1 defeat.

Saturday’s latest loss against a side below them means they have picked up only one point from a possible 15.

And it made a mockery of McCall’s target of winning at least three of City’s next four games.

McCall, whose own position is coming under threat, said: “I hated losing as a player and I hate it even more as a manager.

“These are hard times for us all and you feel helpless on the sidelines. It can be a lonely place.

“Last season was difficult for me personally and this year it’s getting like that.”

City are stuck in 16th place but Lincoln and Macclesfield could overtake if they win games in hand. The last play-off spot is now ten points away.

McCall said: “With a combination of all the factors that have happened this season, I would realistically have expected us to be sitting in ninth or tenth now and on the fringes.

“Last season I expected us to finish in the play-offs but this year we’ve got less points than we should and a position that’s looking desperate.”

McCall hauled off skipper Zesh Rehman at half-time with City two goals down. Michael Boulding came off the bench to score despite suffering from a neck injury which had prevented him starting.

McCall said: “It wasn’t a case that the white flag had gone up at half-time. We’ve got too many good professionals in there, so I expected a response in the second half.

“But you can’t defend as poorly as that and still be in the game. People have got to hold their hands up.

“We felt hard done by against Bury and in the other games when we’ve been down to ten men but this time there can be no excuses.

“When you’re on a run like we are, getting the first goal is so important to the confidence.

“We had chances and then to get hit by two breakaways is so frustrating.

“We’ve not been on the ropes but we’ve defended shabbily and that’s cost us. It’s soul-destroying.”