PENISTONE Church lost 2-0 at Tadcaster Albion on Saturday.
The hosts took the lead just before half-time then, after Liam Johnson was sent off early in the second half, Church conceded again.
Church have only won one of eight since November. They are seventh, four points off the play-off places.
They have nine games to play while all the teams around them have at least one game in hand on them.
Co-manager John Whitehead said: “The first half is something we can’t reflect on with much confidence.
“We seem to be playing within ourselves and there is a fear factor. The players don’t want to make a mistake or cost us a goal.
“We had a sin bin then rode it out but a minute later we conceded.
“We all know we can do so much better.
“We had some choice words at half-time and we expressed ourselves after the break.
“It was a very controversial and soft red card and I don’t think the official in the middle was possibly up to scratch.
“We were dominant with ten men and had them on the ropes but couldn’t take our chances then got suckerpunched from a short backpass and our goalkeeper gave a penalty away.
"We were a lot more like we need to be in that second half.”
Church are now due to host second-placedThackley on Saturday.
They are then due to play two more games in February, six in March and the season is set to finish on April 5.