DORCHESTER Town manager Glenn Howes insisted it is “fundamental” for the Magpies to stop their downturn in results at Gosport Borough tomorrow (3pm).

Howes’ men have lost four of their past five Pitching In Southern League Premier South games and also exited the FA Cup and FA Trophy in the qualifying rounds.

Their form compares unfavourably to a stunning start to the season when the Magpies were at one stage as high as the play-off places, having taken four wins in five games.

They now sit in tenth, two places above the much-fancied Gosport, and Howes knows how crucial it is to turn fortunes around quickly.

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He told Echosport: “Ultimately we need to turn the run of results we’re in.

“We don’t feel performances are too far off. We feel we could’ve done more last Saturday (against Hayes).

“We’ll be working extremely hard at training. There are particular areas in possession and out of possession we’re going to go through for Gosport.

“Fundamentally, it’s all about getting a positive result. However we do that, we’ll take that in advance of the performance, that’s for sure.”

He added: “I don’t think it’s one particular item that’s contributed to this run of results we’re on.

“If you break them down, the first thing you look at is how you’re conceding goals. There’s no common trend in how we’re conceding.

“Everybody can see how we’re conceding them. It’s about making us harder to beat, even more organised out of possession and focusing on the key decisions that make us more aggressive in terms of winning the ball back.

“Equally, in terms of our distance and shape. Then, working on areas where we can break the opposition down.

“We haven’t quite got them right in this difficult period of fixtures.”

Howes also spoke of the importance of avoiding a long barren run without points.

“You want to turn the results as soon as you can,” he said.

“It’s fundamental we do that this Saturday. It gives us an opportunity because they’ve only lost one game at home all season.

“That’s what you’re up against in this league. Earlier in the season – and they probably still are – Gosport were one of the fancied teams to do well.

“So, it will be a difficult task as it always is.”

Harvey-Joe Bertrand returns from suspension, while Matty Neale and Shaquille Gwengwe (both ankle) plus Kieran Douglas (knee) will both be assessed before Gosport.