Scarborough Athletic's Michael Coulson keen to bounce back from darkest day

Michael Coulson watches on as former Boro man Leon Scott clears. Pictures by Brian Murfield

The attacker is still struggling to come to terms with the New Year’s Day derby defeat at Whitby Town, during which he saw a spot-kick saved.He has vowed to come out fighting though to try and end the club’s awful run of form.“It doesn’t get much worse. We lost in a big derby game like that and I missed a penalty,” he said.“When I got back home I just wanted to curl up in a ball and hide.“It was just a dark day and I don’t really understand what happened to us.“I spent a lot of the first half just trying to rev the lads up. This was Scarborough against Whitby, there were over 1,000 fans and there were people that didn’t want it.“With there being so many travelling fans at the game you want to put in a performance and send them home happy.“I can’t put into words how frustrated I am at the moment.”Scarborough-born Coulson has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of Saturday’s home game against Hednesford, expressing a need for points.He added: “I think when we were top of the league it was possibly a case of us over-achieving. We were playing poorly in some games and still winning.“A realistic dream is a place in the play-offs, which is something that would be great for the club and the town.“We have a big four months ahead of us now, we have to get our heads screwed on.“Anything other than six points in our next two games is not acceptable.“We owe that to the fans more than anything, I know how they must be feeling.“They’ve had a pretty rubbish Christmas as far as results go. We’ve just got a lot of these supporters back at the club and we want to keep them.“We have to pay them back by working hard, not just off the ball but on it as well.“At times we look scared in possession, which leads to giving the ball away.“If we put in that hard work and be brave then I’m confident we’ll turn things around.”

Assistant manager Mark Hume leaves Boro: https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/assistant-manager-mark-hume-leaves-scarborough-athletic-1-9517518

Scarborough-born Flynn McNaughton to train with Boro: https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/former-york-city-man-flynn-mcnaughton-to-train-with-scarborough-athletic-1-9517543