LEATHERHEAD may have six points from their opening three games of the Ryman League South season, but manager Mick Sullivan believes that is "papering over the cracks" of what has been a disappointing start to the season thus far.

The Tanners grabbed a late win over Worthing on the first day of the new campaign, and followed that up with a poor defeat at home to Met Police, before being dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Burgess Hill on Saturday.

They beat Chipstead 3-1 on Bank Holiday Monday, but that only came after two late goals from hat-trick hero Greg Andrews and Sullivan can't quite put his finger on why things are not going according to plan.

He said: "We all think everything's fine, I don't change too much because I don't think things need changing and it all goes fine during pre-season, then we come into competitive battles and basically show we haven't got a competitive streak about us.

"We've got nice footballers but a lack of competitiveness and athleticism that's not matching the opposition and until we've got that we're not going to be able to match these teams that want to beat Leatherhead Football Club.

"The players know they've not done themselves justice, they're not playing well, the players understand they haven't been performing and they've let the football club down by going out with such a whimper in the FA Cup.

"We're passionate on the bench and if we don't see that passion come through on the pitch we won't tolerate it too long, we're not going to press the panic button just yet, but if it means a wholesale change I'm prepared to do it.

"A 3-1 win today has papered over the cracks.

"We've got to live and die by the reputation we gained last year, no one's going to give us any respect, they're going to get in our faces because we can't intimidate sides and it's showing more and more every game, at least we put some chances away thankfully, Greg was on his game, Gabriel [Odunaike] was a good foil, he chased everything down, so there's a few who can come off with their heads held high, but there's a fair few that are way off the mark and I think they know it.

"It clearly isn't good enough."

Sullivan's disappointment with his team's performances have been no more telling than in his withdrawal of both Mark Simmons and Tommy Hutchings in the last two games.

"Who would ever think I would bring Mark Simmons and Tommy Hutchings off?" he said.

"The two are supposed to be my top players and they both know they're not performing to their ability and unfortunately confidence is lacking through the side and you're asking the key players to up their game.

"I know they can get better, let's just hope it doesn't take them too long to get better.

"I don't know about Mark, I can't get inside his head, I take it he's fit, but clearly he isn't and clearly Tommy is struggling as well.

"Maybe they both desperately want to play and work for the team, but it isn't coming off, so for me to take two of my main players off shows how difficult it is for us at the minute.

"They've all got to show the same desire, passion, athleticism and work-rate to match every other team because teams aren't going to show us respect and just let us play football."