HONEST Glassboys boss Gary Hackett admitted his side were playing well below their best despite topping the Northern Premier League table earlier this week.

But Hackett was quick to praise his player's attitude and commitment after coming through a difficult sequence of games unbeaten.

Stourbridge snapped up a pleasing 3-1 win following a long distance trip to Whitby Town last Saturday which was followed with a 1-1 draw on Monday night at home to last season's play-off rivals Nantwich Town.

Hackett said: "I'll be quite honest and say we're in a transitional period at the moment and not playing as I would like us to do.

"We haven't got things right yet but we've still managed to grind out results, while trying to find the right balance.

"I'm still looking to improve the areas where I think we could be better.

"Against Nantwich, we got ourselves outnumbered in midfield and gave the opposition more ball than I would have liked, which is something I tried to address.

"But I couldn't fault the player's resolve when you consider we set off for Whitby at 8am and didn't get back to the ground until 10pm.

"I was also missing five key players for the Nantwich game all of whom started the season against Matlock Town the previous week.

"And it hasn't helped that I lost Kayledon Brown during the opening game through injury. Because he's so versatile, he's become a very important cog for us but he's picked up a knee problem that still isn't quite right and he could be out for another three weeks.

Stourbridge return to the War Memorial Ground on Saturday when they play hosts to Marine, which is followed by a Bank Holiday trip to Rushall Olympic on Monday.

Hackett added: "Although we're not playing as I would like, we have become a very difficult side to beat during a difficult period where we've played four games in the space of nine days.

"The games keep coming thick and fast at the moment and we have to remain hard to beat during this period.

"But the pleasing thing is that the players are giving me everything and the supporters can play a big part as well.

"The crowds have been very encouraging, considering it's a holiday period at the moment and it's important they get behind the side."

Two goals from Jordan Archer which followed Paul McCone's opening effort gave the Glassboys maximum points at Whitby.

Archer was also on the mark on Monday's 1-1 draw with Nantwich.