John Ward has seen his side undergo their worst run of results in five years

Carlisle United boss John Ward says his team have to "toughen up mentally" after seeing his side go down to their fifth straight League One defeat.

Ward believed a combination of poor defending and poor finishing was responsible for The Cumbrians' 3-1 reverse at Milton Keynes Dons.

"It's a really difficult time," Ward told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"It's like going over an old record. I'm saying similar things after every game and that's obviously worrying."

The defeat means the Cumbrians are without an away win since the opening day of the season, when they won 3-2 at Bristol Rovers.

"It was certainly a better performance," said Ward. "But we've made those errors once again." Ward said.

It's a tough time. Everyone is going to have to pull together and try to eradicate these errors John Ward

"The concerning thing is it's not the same people making them every week and that's the thing that's hard to take."

Carlisle have now achieved their worst sequence of results since the 2003/04 season when they were relegated out of the Football League. But Ward, one of the most successful managers in lower division football history having taken three different clubs up, is trying to remain positive.

"We just have to keep going in training," he said. "It's a tough time. Everyone is going to have to pull together and try to eradicate these errors."

606: DEBATE Is it me or is John Ward going through the motions being reactive rather than proactive? CUFC4theCCC

"Michael is going to have a scan on his knee which is a bit worrying," said Ward. "Scott has a sore ankle which could be ligament damage, so we'll know more about both next week."