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Paul Caddis has admitted he is currently in his toughest spell as Hereford's manager.
After a 3-0 defeat at Oxford City on Tuesday, where the Scot felt Matt Preston's sending off at the end of the first half was the turning point, 16 points from 15 games is not the start to the season fans were expecting.
Having come into the club in the summer of 2023, shipping all bar one player out and having no backroom staff, two promising seasons saw Hereford grow on and off the pitch.
But a lacklustre summer saw the latest Enterprise National League North campaign get off to a slow start, and Hereford and yet to prove they have what it takes to challenge for a play-off place - the minimum requirement for many fans.
And that now seems to be slipping further away as Hereford are two points from the bottom four and eight points from the top seven.
After the defeat at Oxford, the latest game where Hereford have failed to keep a clean sheet, Caddis was asked whether Saturday's comeback from 3-0 down against Curzon Ashton was "papering over the cracks".
He said: "They're entitled to opinion. I think if we had done that last year, 3-0 down and came back and drew three each, then everybody would have been absolutely buzzing.
"I think you've got to give credit where credit's due."
He added: "I understand the role which it's going to come with criticism. I absolutely get it. All I can say is I will continue trying my very best to bring as much success [as] we can at the football club.
"Talk is cheap, got to start acting on it. We have to get better. It definitely is the toughest period I've had since I've come in. It's been all good moments.
"I wasn't brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I've worked from day one. I won't stop and I'll keep going."
But when asked if he was under pressure, either externally or internally, Caddis said: "No, and I don't want to be smug because that's not me.
"I watch my daughter save her life every day. She's got diabetes, that's pressure.
"I understand that sounds a bit smug and I'm genuine in meaning that.
"I feel pressure to win games of football. I feel pressure to do the best I can for the players, the best I can for the football club.
"But do I feel pressure on anything else then? Then no, I don't. If I'm under pressure and I feel under pressure, then you start making rash decisions. That's the truth, that's well out of my hands.
"I'll just keep carrying on as I am. I'll keep fighting as I always do. Everyone can see it behind the scenes. We don't stop, myself and Roones [assistant manager Adam Rooney] and the backroom staff, that won't change until we're told otherwise.
"I understand the frustration. Please aim it all towards myself, not towards the players. I'm the manager that puts the players on the pitch and signed them and etcetera.
"Please aim it towards myself, as long as it's not personal if it's critical, then by all means, I absolutely understand."