NEILSTON co-boss Chris Cameron believes this month could determine how the rest of the season shapes up for his team.

The Farmer’s Boys will play four out of their five games at home during October.

However, they suffered a setback at the Brig O’Lea on Saturday as Petershill recorded a 2-0 victory.

Neilston had chances to take the lead but both Kieron Maxwell and Conor Bolger failed to test the visiting goalkeeper from promising positions.

Those misses would come back to haunt them as Petershill took the lead after the ball was given away cheaply in midfield, which allowed Stephen Docherty in on goal and he rounded the onrushing Grant Hay before slotting into an empty net.

The visitors also hit the frame of the goal twice in the opening period and started the second half on the front foot before being awarded a penalty on 68 minutes, which was converted by Ross McCabe.

Cameron admits his players will need to perform much better in the coming weeks, with some tricky fixtures on the horizon, or face the prospect of their campaign unravelling.

He told Barrhead Sport: “It’s a big month for us in terms of our aspirations – and it hasn’t got off to the start we wanted.

“We’re playing all the teams around about us, so we can’t afford defeats.

“If we go and win three or four of the games, then you’re almost guaranteeing a top four finish but, if you don’t, you’re giving yourself a real sticky last third to the season.”

Cameron admits he was disappointed with the ease in which Petershill were able to secure all three points at the weekend.

He added: “It was a poor result and poor performance. We asked for a big reaction in the second half and to just go at Petershill. We’d have been as well losing by two or three, rather than just accepting the 1-0, so we asked the boys to really go for it but I don’t feel we got that.

“The game would have finished 1-0 had we not made a calamitous mistake to give them a penalty.

“Our frustration is that I don’t think Petershill played well on the day, which goes to show how poor we were.

“They had that wee bit more desire to win. I felt we got beat on application and not on quality.”

Next up for Neilston is a trip to Keppoch Park on Saturday to face Glasgow Perthshire.