BRIDPORT manager Chris Herbst admits that his side's title hopes are all but over following their sixth defeat of the season.
The Bees were wasteful in front of goal as they were defeated 3-2 to Ilfracombe at St Mary's on Saturday.
The defeat left Herbst frustrated at the chances his side created and the 'sloppy' defending at the other as the visitors raced into a 3-0 lead courtesy of a brace from Aidan Barrows and a strike from Oliver Stevens.
Fred Parsons did make the scoreboard look more respectable with two goals in added time but it was too little too late.
"It's frustrating. We didn't play that badly, we dominated the ball but it was not our day in front of goal," said Herbst.
"The second half we upped it and had so many chances. We scored twice at the death and then had another great chance to get a point but it was all too late.
"It's frustrating, it's sloppy, from the whole team not just the defence."
The Bees coach now believes the league title is now longer possible with the team 18 points of leaders Cullompton - who they face this weekend.
Instead, Herbst wants his team to re group and aim for a second or third place finish and target picking up silverware in either of the two cups they are still in.
"It's been a hard season," he said.
"We lost five or six first team players in the summer so it was like when I first took over, so that has played a massive part. But I look at iot on paper and we have such a strong squad on paper but it is a new side and it will take time to bed players in.
"We have to have a respectable finish, second or third, which will still be hard and make a real push for it inthe cups, but the league is gone."
Despite admitting the title may be a step too far this season, herbst still says there is 'a long way to go' and challenged his players to inflict Cullompton's first defeat of the season when they visit St Mary's on Saturday.
"We want to play against the best and we have nothing to lose we are a good side on our day and hopefully we can be the first team to beat them."