MATTHEW Bishop has stepped down as Aberystwyth Town manager, with assistant manager Wayne Jones taking over the first team affairs at Park Avenue, the Cambrian News can reveal.

This week the Club’s Board requested that Bishop "stand aside for the time being", in the hope that a change of management would provide added impetus for an improvement.

Aberystwyth’s 25-year unbroken membership of the Welsh Premier League is under threat as they hover just one point above the relegation zone, with four games left.

The Seasiders have picked up just one point in five matches, and their latest defeat at basement side Airbus sees them in real danger of the drop.

Chairman Tony Bates said: "When the management team of Matthew Bishop and Wayne Jones was approached at the start of the season the Board’s instruction was to create a virtually brand new team and to avoid relegation.

"By Christmas, thanks to further cash injection from the Club, the team seemed to be on course not only to avoid relegation but to achieve the coveted top six position.

"Unfortunately, since that time the team’s performance has often been below par, and as most of the team’s problems have been laid at Matthew’s feet it is unsurprising that he feels acute disappointment at the team’s apparent ability to commit football suicide.

"This was exemplified by their performance on Saturday against Airbus when for the first 35 minutes the team dominated the game, was 2-0 up and could have scored at least four goals, but then proceeded to lose its way by a number of individual errors which in turn appeared to demoralise the whole team with the inevitable result."

He added: "I personally remain firmly of the view that Matthew can play an important role in the future development of the Club, but on balance I and the Board consider that allowing his excellent Assistant Wayne Jones to run the team over the forthcoming games will demonstrate to players, fans and sponsors the Club’s determination to avoid relegation.

"Once that is achieved we can regroup and put the lessons learned this season to good effect in the next”.

Aber welcome Cefn Druids to Park Avenue for their penultimate home game on Saturday, and points are essential, with the possibility of two clubs going down.

Despite the addition of central defender Phil Baker on loan from champions TNS, the Seasiders have leaked 14 goals in their last four games, and manager Bishop was alarmed at the way his side had capitulated after taking a two-goal lead last weekend.

Individual defensive errors once again proved costly, and Bishop was honest in his assessment of his side’s performance after last weekend’s defeat.

“I look at the character of some of our lads, and I just wonder if they’ve got it in them for a fight,” he said.

“We crumbled once again, and if you look at the goals it’s not as if they opened us up, or got a wonder goal.

“It was individual errors again, and that’s what has been costing us all season, and is continuing to cost us.

“We are scoring goals, but we are also shipping them. We’ve let in 14 in four games, and it’s demoralising.”

The Seasiders are without suspended skipper Luke Sherbon for two more matches, after his sending off in the 4-0 home defeat against Newtown, and they will need key players to step up against Cefn Druids.

Last week the Seasiders parted company with midfielder Chris Jones, who has now signed for Afan Lido in the Welsh League division one.

After joining the Club last August from Thunderbay Chill in Canada, the 27 year-old former TNS and Port Talbot player started 20 matches for Aber this season, scoring five goals.Meanwhile Kurtis March has also been released to join Welsh League Division Two Llanelli, after 18 starts and three goals for the Club.Winger Kostya Geogievsky was also released from his contract to join Welsh League Division One side Penybont, having made five start, scoring one goal.And Lee Healey was released from the first team squad on Wednesday, after three substitute appearances.Other players to have moved on this season include Dominic Edwards, Greg Walters, Ricky Watts, Lewis Coyle, Blake Davies, Jonathan Evans, Will Bell, Joe Clarke and Kurtis March.After facing Druids this Saturday, Aber’s last three games are at Llandudno on Saturday, 8 April, at home to Rhyl on Friday, 14 April and away to Newtown on Saturday, 22 April.