Lancaster City boss Mark Fell says his team are struggling with a lack of confidence after a poor run of results

Lancaster City boss Mark Fell admits he and his players have some serious questions to answer after a wretched run of results over the past month.
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The Dolly Blues were beaten 2-0 at home twice in four days this week to Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday and Stafford Rangers in midweek.

That means they have picked up just four points out of a possible 24 in the NPL Premier Division.

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Fell – who also watched his men go out of the FA Cup to Morpeth Town last month – admits the club is in the midst of a mini crisis as they prepare to travel to Hyde United this weekend.

Lancaster City boss Mark FellLancaster City boss Mark Fell
Lancaster City boss Mark Fell

What is particularly puzzling for Fell is that City had won four on the trot prior to this poor run.

“I am very tired of saying the same things like we are not getting the rub of the green or we are unlucky or we are playing well, it will come good,” said Fell.

“We can’t keep saying those things. Ultimately you live and die by the points you have on the board.

“Have we got a lack of confidence? Of course we have.

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“But you solve confidence problems by getting the basics right, by competing and staying in games.

“It’s the first time I have experienced this situation here and I have got to find the answers.

“I have asked some questions of the players. It is fair to say we have a number who are performing below their standards and our standards.

“Their response will be key. If we make the right response then we’ll be fine but if we don’t then we have got problems. It’s my job to fix it.”

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For the first time since he became Dolly Blues boss, Fell incurred the wrath of some sections of the home crowd at the final whistle and he accepted they have the right to vent their frustration.

He added: “What I will say is I am trying my best and if it isn’t good enough – listen it wasn’t good enough for a few people on Tuesday night.

“That’s fine, that’s football. I accept it’s not good enough.

“We are 13th in the league and before the match we were eighth or ninth. It probably felt worse than it was before the game.

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“If we had won then we could have gone within a point or two of the play-offs. But it does feel a little bit more real if I am honest. I am not going to dress it up or sugar-coat it.

“We have got some problems at the moment. We clearly have some issues and we are falling below the standards that we have set.

“I fully accept people will point the finger at me. I am the manager of a football club and we are not winning.”

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