Boreham Wood striker Charlie MacDonald insists the National League rookies have enough quality to stay at the top table of non-league football but has called on Wood to beat those sides around them in order to do so.

Wood, who won promotion to the re-branded National League in May via the Conference South play-offs, are currently 21st and only clear of the relegation zone by virtue of their goal difference.

Ian Allinson’s side have picked up just three league wins – two of them impressively coming at Tranmere Rovers and Torquay United – but MacDonald is still confident the Hertfordshire minnows can avoid an immediate return to Step Two.

He said: “There’s a lot of quality in the dressing room. At times we’re a little bit naïve – I think that’s probably the best word I can use.

“Physically we’re probably not strong enough in certain areas, especially against bigger sides, we have struggled.

“Technically and on the ball there are some really good players in the dressing room. It’s a case of just trying to rectify the set pieces and then hopefully the tide will turn.”

“The way we are looking you have got to say we’re in a relegation fight already,” admitted the 34-year-old.

“The longer is going on the harder it is going to be. We need to try to do the right things on the training ground and hopefully it will turn.

“All it takes is for us to get our noses in front in a couple of games and then hopefully we can pick up some results.”

A battle against the drop represents a different challenge for the former Charlton Athletic and Brentford striker, who last season captained Barnet to the Conference title.

He said: “It’s tough. I’m in a different situation to what I’ve used to because I’ve come to part-time.

“I’m not used to being at this end of the table, fighting, scrapping for my life. I’m used to being in successful teams.

“But we’ll keep plugging away but ultimately it’s about beating the part-time teams because ultimately we are in a mini league of our own against the part-time sides.”