TERRY Murphy fears a fixture pile up will cost Town their title.

The Middlewich boss watched on as his tired players lost their derby duel with neighbours Barnton at the weekend, a result that leaves them 14 points from top spot.

Two days earlier they had plundered three points at Pilkington.

"Our good work has been undone a little bit," said Murphy.

"To be honest we absolutely murdered Pilkington and should have won 6-0 not 2-0, but I felt we just ran out steam on Saturday."

"I've got to be realistic, asking these players to be at their best for three or four games a week is expecting a bit too much."

But Murphy refused to blame his players for their below-par performance against Barnton.

Instead he regretted his own choices.

"I perhaps should have made more changes from Thursday," he said.

"I saw one or two players out there who thought by beating Pilkington the hard work had been done but Barnton were up for the fight and we were not."

The Town Field team completed a rare double over the Witches with their 2-1 win.

Woodley visit Seddon Street in the league on Saturday, kick off 3pm, before Town head to Curzon Ashton Reserves on Tuesday.