WIVENHOE Town manager Mo Osman admits his side need to ‘get back to basics’ to halt their alarming slide down the table.

The Dragons have now gone 14 games without a win in the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League and have dropped perilously close to the relegation zone as a result.

Wivenhoe, who picked up a useful point in a 1-1 draw at Stanway in midweek, are currently five places off the foot of the table and five points clear of the relegation places, but all four sides below them have games in hand.

Osman is at a loss to explain his side’s dip in form, although star striker Max Egbuna missed six weeks over Christmas and the new year as he was away travelling.

“We are still playing good football, but seem to have lost our belief and know-how when it comes to winning games.

“Generally speaking we have given a good account of ourselves in most games, but to be frank we are not defending well enough as a team and are conceding too many goals, a lot of which have been down to our own making.”

Osman said that it is important that his players do not lose belief in themselves as they approach the ‘business end’ of the season, otherwise they could find themselves facing the prospect of relegation after a much-improved first half of the season appeared to dispel any such fears.

“We have got to keep the belief in the boys and get back to basics – the moment you lose belief you might as well pack it in.

“Our objective has always been to get to 40 points to stay in the Premier Division.

“Last year we felt hard done-by because I took over in October and it was always going to be a struggle to stay up, but this year we have had a fair crack at it and can’t make any excuses.

“If we do end up getting relegated I will have to take it on the chin.

“We have 12 games left to play to reach our target, but with the run we are on at the moment we are not doing ourselves any favours.”