David Noble says the pressure is very real after St Albans City fell to a fifth straight defeat - but believes he saw enough against Weston-super-Mare to be positive about the future.

Saints fell to a 1-0 loss in the National League South game at Clarence Park, James Morton scoring on 86 minutes.

It came while the home side were down to 10 men, not because of ill-discipline but because of an injury to Dan Bowry after Noble had made all three substitutes.

And with their last win in any competition coming back on October 24, discontent grumbling is rising among some fans.

Herts Advertiser: Dan Bowry injures himself as he stretches to block a Rex Mannings effort. Picture: JIM STANDENDan Bowry injures himself as he stretches to block a Rex Mannings effort. Picture: JIM STANDEN (Image: Jim Standen)

"Of course I [feel the pressure]," said Noble. "It's difficult but football is a results-based business.

"If I lose one game I feel under pressure, if I lose at anything, I feel under pressure. I want to win. 

"This is my first managerial stint and it's my first real tough time. 

"But football's not all plain sailing, you're going to get bumps in the road and I'm learning all the time. 

"Anyone who's played football for more than five minutes or who understands what they're watching, they’ll have seen their teams go through bad spells. 

"It's what happens in football and you don't need the one or two booing a performance like that, not after the work and the effort that people have put in."

He could also pinpoint areas where small changes could prove vital and trigger a change in fortune.

The boss said: "I know I 'm saying this after we've got beat but there were a lot of encouraging signs. 

"The unforced errors were minimal and we're working on [creating more chances].

"We're not creating enough chances and the ones that are coming along, we're not taking them. 

"It does feel like it’s all against us at the minute but there's one way to turn that around and this could be the start of it. 

"Although it's not the result we wanted, it was certainly the performance and the work rate and the passion and the commitment from the players that we want. 

"They are all keywords if we want to turn this around. 

"In football, you have got to put the work in." 

Bowry limped out of the action after Nathan Carlyle, Mitchell Weiss and Sam Brown had done the same.

And they aren't the only members of the St Albans squad carrying knocks.

That is why Noble wants to see a change in the rules surrounding substitutes for the National League.

He said: "I don't see why it's different [to the EFL and others]. I can understand it not being five from nine like in the Premier League but why can’t you have five from seven? 

"It keeps people in your squad involved and focused.  

"Then you have people playing through injuries, giving everything they can, it’s frustrating to get another injury just after they’ve got to the end of their effort and you’ve taken them off. 

"Do you leave people out there until they're injured? Of course you don't.  

"It doesn't rain, but it pours."