The unwanted run Fareham Town are looking kick when they host Bournemouth in Wessex League Premier

Pete Stiles stressed the importance of Fareham Town addressing their Wessex League Premier Division losing slump when they host Bournemouth on Saturday.
Defender Archie Willcox is back available for Fareham after serving a one-match suspension. Picture: Keith Woodland (051220-546)Defender Archie Willcox is back available for Fareham after serving a one-match suspension. Picture: Keith Woodland (051220-546)
Defender Archie Willcox is back available for Fareham after serving a one-match suspension. Picture: Keith Woodland (051220-546)

The Reds return to Cams Alders on the back of successive league losses from visits to AFC Stoneham and Blackfield & Langley.

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And Stiles highlighted the fact how losing can easily become an unwanted habit, just as quickly as when the confidence rises on a winning streak.

So the Fareham boss is eager for his troops to bounce back on home turf against Bournemouth to claim a first win in three matches.

Stiles said: ‘We’ve got to get back to winning ways. They were unlucky Bournemouth, they only lost 2-1 to Hamworthy (on Tuesday night), who many people are tipping to win the league.

‘I’m not expecting it to be easy but we’ve got to get out there and start getting three points again.

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‘It doesn’t take long for morale to be hit a bit and if you get on a little run - like I said a little while ago - it’s easy if you’re winning games then you tend to keep on that run.

‘You don’t want to get in a habit of losing a couple and, once you’ve lost a couple, that becomes a habit. We’ve got to make sure you don’t get into that.’

Fareham have a 10-day break from league action after hosting Bournemouth this weekend.

The Reds have home League Cup and FA Vase meetings with Horndean and Jersey Bulls respectively to follow prior to returning to Wessex Premier action at Cowes Sports on October 26.

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And with a brief league break ahead, Stiles is wanting a positive result against Bournemouth for that reason as well.

He added: ‘We’ve played more games than anyone but if you’re playing more games it doesn’t matter, if you keep winning. It gives over teams a harder task to catch you, but when you’re making it easy for them to catch you if you’re losing you’re going to find yourself – when these other teams play games – dropping down the league.’

Fareham will be boosted by the return of centre-half Archie Willcox against Bournemouth after serving a one-match suspension.

Attacker Calum Benfield could also return from a rib injury while Stiles was impressed with new addition Bailey Newbury having been handed his debut off the bench at Blackfield in midweek.

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