MARCH Town United will endure another season without silverware after last night’s defeat in the Cambs Invitation Cup semi-final completed a miserable week for the Hares.

Beleaguered boss Jamie Weston admitted that his injury-plagued side’s faint hopes of promotion from the Ridgeons First Division were over after they were beaten 3-1 by Saffron Walden on Saturday.

But matters got worse for the Hares last night, as a brave performance from their depleted team was not enough to stop Haverhill cruising to a 2-0 win.

Weston said: “It’s a shame. All you want to be able to do is give it your best shot with promotion and a semi-final and unfortunately we haven’t been in a position to do so.

“When we are at full strength we are a very good side and we haven’t had the opportunity to show that.

“Often when you go places like Haverhill without key players it can get silly but we made sure that didn’t happen. The lads can be proud of their effort. It was just too big an ask.”

March’s squad has been stretched to the bare bones with Adam Weston, Lloyd Johnson, Adam Sutton, Grant Watson, Dan Sterna, Kyle Plumb and Simon Bates all sidelined.

Captain Luke Pepper is thought to be five weeks away from a return after seeing doctors about his knee injury.

And Weston’s injury headache was worsened when Denny Escorcio and Ash Brand also picked up knocks last night, leaving two more senior players battling for fitness ahead of Saturday’s clash with high-flying Gorleston.

“Our ambitions now have to change”, said Weston. “It’s important that we don’t allow this period to completely ruin our season by sending us into freefall. Promotion is not going to happen but we need to make sure we finish as high as we can.

“Everyone who has come in has shown that they are more than capable of playing first team football and we’ve put up a good fight.

“I’m lucky to have a really good bunch of lads. They are there because they want to do well for March and they work really hard. I don’t think motivation will be too much of a problem.”