PICKERING Town are hoping a week off proves timely after their slide continued apace - having now conceded 10 goals in their last two Northern Counties East League outings.

New boss Tony Hackworth oversaw two wins and 10 goals in two premier division games in caretaker charge, followed by an encouraging North Riding Senior Cup draw with Evo-Stik League neighbours Scarborough Athletic, albeit marred by a penalty shoot-out defeat.

But since then, a 4-1 defeat at Albion Sports has been followed by Saturday’s 6-2 home mauling by Cleethorpes Town - both sides sitting in mid-table - with Pickering’s only bright spot being the form of Billy Logan, who scored all three of their goals.

All Saturday’s strikes came after keeper Toby Wells was sent off in the 37th-minute when conceding a penalty.

The Pikes, now 14th in the standings, do not play again before hosting 17th-placed Parkgate on Saturday, December 20.

Against Cleethorpes, Hackworth’s men missed three easy chances in the opening 12 minutes.

Ryan Cooper set up Logan to run through on goal but visiting keeper Damien Steer saved superbly.

A minute later, Joel Ramm was clean through but shot wide, and then a right wing cross by Frank Belt found Logan who rose highest but headed just wide.

Cleethorpes, making their first visit to Mill Lane, then came more into the game, with skipper Darren Hanslip firing over from 25 yards, Marc Cooper being denied by Wells and Jonathan Oglesby’s follow-up effort going wide. Alex Flett also shot wide from 18 yards.

The game changed in dramatic style with Wells’ red card.

With no goalkeeper on the bench, Niall Gibb went in goal and his first job was to pick the ball out of the net after Louis Grant’s spot-kick went in off a post.

Cleethorpes doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when a left-wing corner by Oglesby saw an umarked Liam Dickens superbly head home.

Cleethorpes increased their lead after 55 minutes with a second goal from the impressive Grant.

Logan - the Pikes’ man of the match - quickly pulled one back with a goal out of nothing, turning and lobbing the keeper from 25 yards.

However, Grant completed his hat-trick after 65 minutes.

Joe Danby saw a couple of good efforts for the Pikes go wide, but they did score again as Logan netted with a 76th-minute 25-yard free-kick.

The Pikes’ hopes were short-lived as Cleethorpes substitute Jack Barlow scored three minutes later, with fellow sub Lawrence Heward capping the win six minutes from time.

It could have been worse for the hosts as Marc Cooper then hit a post with Gibb beaten.

Pickering: Wells,Belt, Batchelor, Gibb, Banks, Aziz, Cooper (Adams 68), Taylor, Logan, Ramm (Chamberlain 62), Danby (Hackworth 83). Crowd: 116.

Pickering’s North Yorkshire rivals, Tadcaster Albion, meanwhile, continued their fine form with a 4-2 FA Vase victory at St Helens Town.

The Brewers have since landed a fourth round home draw against Stafford outfit Brocton, who lie 17th in the Midland League, and boss Paul Marshall reckons his side, runaway leaders in the NCEL premier division, will be “massive favourites” to reach the quarter-finals.

“They will be coming here to play a team that’s bang in form,” he said.

NCEL division one side AFC Mansfield, now managed by ex-Scarborough boss Rudy Funk, also reached the last 16 with a 1-0 win at Mickleover Royals.