ROBBIE Lawton admitted a failure to convert better performances into wins may cost him and Matt Doughty their Altrincham futures but insisted he would be "gutted" if they are not kept on next season.

Alty's board are currently interviewing candidates to spearhead a push for promotion back to the National League North after their recent relegation, and current boss Doughty and his assistant Lawton are on the shortlist.

Despite instilling fight in a squad bereft of it before they took over from Jim Harvey in December, the absence of a similar upturn in results has left Alty rooted to the foot of the table and jeopardised their hopes of remaining in charge.

Speaking after Easter Monday's 4-1 home defeat to Kidderminster, former Alty skipper Lawton said: "The opportunity to come back to the club, through Matt's invitation, took about half-a-second to decide on, and I have loved it.

"I know there has been turbulence, but I enjoy working with the players, as does Matt.

"We had the opportunity to try and cement a permanent position, without going through due process, but the board felt there had not been enough consistency in outcomes.

"Performances, largely across the season, have improved, but I accept outcomes have not.

"We have done our best to convince the board, through a presentation we made, to give us a go next year.

"We would love to stay. I will be gutted – we will be gutted – if we are not still here, just as I was when it came to leaving as a player.

"I know I am biased, but the infrastructure and tradition of this club appears far superior to many non-league set-ups."

A clinical finish from Damian Reeves briefly gave hope to an Alty side on Monday who wrap up their home programme against Alfreton on Saturday.

"Damian has had game time lately and looked more threatening, and he took his goal phenomenally well," added Lawton. "Whether we are sliding balls in to him early or he's getting in better areas, I'm, not sure – it's probably a combination of both."