His side are still searching for their first Premier Division point after this narrow reverse at Leading Drove on Tuesday night.

They have only found the net three times but have continually pressed the self-destruct button at the back by conceding avoidable goals.

Bird admitted: "We keep conceding silly goals and it isn't good enough. It has to stop and fast.

"To be fair to Yaxley their first goal was a cracker. The second was also a really great strike, but no-one from our side bothered to close the lad down.

"We absolutely murdered Yaxley in the second half although I would have taken a point just to get us going.

"But we didn't even get that and it is now three second-phase goals we have leaked in two games, added to the three from individual mistakes on the opening day.

"We are not scoring enough either and obviously both ends of the pitch need to be addressed, but on the whole I look back at the four defeats and we haven't really done that badly.

"We do need to get something on the board as quickly as possible though and hopefully that will happen on Saturday."

Dan Jacobs' long-range scorcher put Yaxley ahead midway through the first half but Stones levelled 10 minutes after the break.

Mark Jones prodded home after Yaxley keeper Dan Stevens couldn't hold a low cross on a slippery surface.

But Stones' hopes of sharing the spoils were ended nine minutes from time when a stunning 20-yard volley from substitute Sam Makansi flew through a crowded area and past keeper Ian Flavell.

Leiston 2 Blackstones 1

STONES were far from disgraced when falling at the first FA Cup hurdle against big-spending Ridgeons League outfit Leiston on Saturday.

Two goals in the space of five minutes midway through the opening period accounted for Stones, who were without injured striker Richard Thompson, but defender Richard Jones halved their arrears 15 minutes from time.

Bird said: "We can't argue with the result because the best team won on the day, but a lot of teams will get beaten there by a greater scoreline than we did.

"We actually won the second half and we are definitely moving in the right direction."

Stones handed debuts to new recruits Jonny Stead and Stefan Dancy, who are both former Deeping Rangers players, while midfielder Gareth Williams has also returned to Lincoln Road.

Stones: Flavell, Blowers, Bird (Hall), Jones, Booker, Stead, Dancy (Ruscillo), England, Doyle, Fountain (McRoyal), Jones.