Four successive league defeats have taken the edge off what looked a promising campaign and pushed the Bulldogs just above local rivals Dewsbury Rams at the foot of the table.
It will not be known until July 22 how many clubs will be relegated. The general feeling is one to go down but if it is two the pressure will be on.
Yet Batley are still only two points away from a play-off place, despite having the smallest squad in the division, and the suspension of leading try-scorer Danny Maun and injury to Mark Toohey have left massive holes.
The Bulldogs are set to sign 19-year-old threequarter, James Archibald, a former England Under-18 player, who is struggling to get first team chances at Leeds Rhinos and has expressed a wish to join Batley to prove himself. The club are finalising matters with his agent.
Batley also have on a four-match trial, full-back or winger Jonny Campbell, who was at Thornhill Trojans last season, and has had experience with Salford this time. He played in the reserves at Featherstone last week and showed he has the sort of pace Batley are seeking.
Another trialist is centre Ben Feehan, who has played with Huddersfield and Halifax, but has been out of the game for a time.
Thornton said: "We have to look at local players. We can't compete with the funds available at some clubs and this division is harder than at any time."
He added: "It's been a matter of inches and seconds this season. We were beaten after the hooter against Widnes and had a try disallowed for a forward pass against Featherstone last Sunday, which would have put us 22-10 in front and the game virtually over.
"It was a move we worked on in training and we felt it had paid off when Kevin Crouthers sent Ian Preece over. The referee was ready to give the try but had a word with the tough judge and he ruled forward pass. It was very close but the decision hit us hard.
"We have a tough run-in but have to take positives from the fact we have gone so close, so often.
"We should probably have won at Sheffield and the extra points from those three games would have put us into the top four. It could have been a completely different story."
Ash Lindsay dislocated a kneecap last Sunday and, while it went straight back, he was very sore after the game and could be in for a lengthy lay-off. Byron Smith suffered a broken nose and, although badly shaken, went back in the second half.
Thornton added: "Byron was hit by a clear high shot but the referee awarded a knock-on against us."
It's a fact of life at Mount Pleasant that while Thornton is forced to sign loan players from reserve teams, other clubs in the division have recruited loan men from Super League senior squads, who have played in the first team this time. That and battling against full-time teams in some cases makes it very difficult for clubs such as Batley existing on a shoestring.