Colney Heath have already got one eye on next season after falling to defeat against Harpenden Town.

A Dan Palmer header in the first half was enough to secure a 1-0 win for the visitors to the Recreation Ground but the home side could and perhaps should have rescued a point with the last kick, a penalty from George Sippetts.

That was saved but there was enough in the game for manager Matt Day to take positives away.

He said: "We were too passive for 45 minutes and we just stood off, it was chalk and cheese in respect of where we were on Tuesday [against Real Bedford]. 

"We let the boys know in no uncertain terms that the first half performance wasn't anywhere near the standards that we expect. 

"We gave them a bit of a rocket in the changing room and we had to make sure that that second-half performance had intensity and aggression. 

"But they've hit the bar, they've hit the post so in the grand scheme of things, we probably would have nicked the point. 

"To be fair, we had a couple of half chances over the course of the game so you might argue that we maybe deserved the goal from one of those opportunities. 

"And then to get a penalty after 90-plus minutes to get a point and to not take it, you know, that is the heartbreak of football. 

"I have no complaints, Sippo has been amazing for us all season so I'm not going to dig him out. You get a penalty in that last minute and it’s a big moment. 

"We didn't take it but there have been other big moments this season and we have taken them. 

"It just wasn't to be for us and we'll take that on the chin and take the positives. 

"We’ll also take the negatives from it because it was a free header from a set-piece that we seem to keep on giving away. 

"From my perspective, you know that's not good enough and that's what we need to tighten up. 

"If we can do that then come next season, and certainly for the remainder of this season we’ll be stronger." 

And if the thoughts are turning towards the 2024-2025 season, Day  believes there are only a few areas that really need tightening up.

He said: "I've put on two 16-year-olds and one of them, I mean crikey, if he'd been on from the start of the game, who knows [what would have happened]. 

"We are a young team and there is naivety to our game. I've mentioned that a few times this season and to our lads. 

"We need to tighten up when we've got set pieces and we need to control games better. 

"I want them all together for this season, for the next season, because we're not far away. 

"Every team we've played against knows they've been in a game against us. 

"We'll try our best to improve in the areas that we need to."