Boss Chris Bartlett admits it time to turn ugly in a bid to end March Town’s miserable run of form.

A 4-2 reverse at the hands of high-flying King’s Lynn Town Reserves at the GER last Saturday was a fifth defeat in the Hares’ last six Thurlow Nunn League First Division games.

It was enough to convince Bartlett that a change of formation is required to dig his side out of their current slump when they travel to struggling Cornard tomorrow, 3pm.

Bartlett said: “Our recent form has been terrible and we need to turn it around.

“The way to go that is to go back to basics, go back to being ugly and making ourselves harder to beat.

“We’ve been playing a 4-5-1 formation up until now, but we will set up in a 4-5-1 tomorrow and aim to keep things much tighter.”

Captain Luke Pepper slotted March into an early lead against the Lynn second string last Saturday, but they were pegged back on the half-hour.

A two-salvo from Lynn put them on top early in the second half before Lewis McManus tapped in a Kieren Evans corner to give the Hares hope.

But a fourth goal from the visitors settled the issue and Bartlett admitted: “It was probably our worst defensive performance of the season and that was never going to make things easy when we have been struggling attacking-wise in the final third for some time.

“We haven’t kept a clean sheet so far this season despite having the best goalkeeper in the division in David Beeny. That’s by no way a criticism of him though as he has been absolutely brilliant as usual.”

March host lower-level Fulbourn Institute in a Cambs Invitation Cup quarter-final on Tuesday.

They have been handed a daunting away draw at unbeaten leaders Wivenhoe in the last eight of the First Division KO Cup.