Jay Saunders called for perspective after Tonbridge’s home defeat by Bath.

Angels lost 2-1 in front of almost 1,000 fans at Longmead as the visitors hit back from a goal down to take the points.

Saunders’ side were on course to move above their opponents in the National South standings after Louis Collins’ first-half opener.

But goals from Dan Hayfield and Alex Fletcher kept Bath in the play-off places and saw Tonbridge drop to 10th.

Manager Saunders said his team “weren’t at it today” but wasn’t about to go to town on them after a first home loss in six games.

“Let’s not hammer us,” he said. “We’re a young side, Bath have been together a long while.

“I can’t stand here and not defend the lads.

“We’re a young side that are still coming together a group so I don’t want to come out here and go, ‘Oh yeah, we’re this and that’.

“They’re a good side, they’re an experienced side; we’re the opposite.

“We probably can’t go to the levels like they will with money.

“We’ve got a young side that I’m really pleased with, that are doing well, and today we came up against a more experienced side.

“Let’s not be disrespectful to the boys. We’ve had a good start to the season and we’ve come up against a good side and lost the game.”

Joe Turner joined the injury list in the week and is set to learn on Tuesday whether he requires a hernia operation.

• Report: Tonbridge 1-2 Bath

There were further problems on the day of the game as Jamie Fielding suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury in the warm-up, and saw his place at right-back taken by Tariq Hinds.

And on-loan Charlton midfielder Jeremy Santos pulled a hamstring before half-time and has no chance of featuring at Concord on Tuesday.

That leaves Scott Wagstaff and Lewis Gard as the only fit central midfielders, with Tommie Fagg, Doug Loft and James Taylor already sidelined.

“I’m gutted for Santos,” said Saunders. “He’s been excellent for us and it was a big blow to lose him.

"He gives us that energy and drive in midfield but that’s just the way our season’s gone with injuries. I’m bored of talking about injuries.

"Jamie’s had an ankle problem, he’s had a scan, it’s all-clear, he’s come back and then he’s felt it in the warm-up, so we’ve lost him.

“We’ll find out about Joe Turner on Tuesday. If he needs an operation we’ll get it done straight away. The only good thing with hernias is they’re quite quick recovery time now.

“We’re having no luck with injuries. We seem to bring one in and then we lose another.

“We’ve got to look at things and try and work out a team for Tuesday night.

“Concord’s always a difficult place to go, so we’ve got to prepare right. I’m expecting them to be quite direct.

“We’ve really got to look at the squad now. There’s a few in there that are struggling, so we’ll have to do a bit of planning for that.”