CHELMSFORD City manager Mark Hawkes is considering making changes to his side following their 4-1 defeat at Margate on Saturday.

The defeat made it eight league matches without a win for the Clarets and has prompted Hawkes to act.

“We had an opportunity today to come to Margate and be eight points off the top and nine points off the bottom with a victory,” said Hawkes.

“We find it the other way round and unfortunately we’ve played a couple more games than the teams behind us and with Basingstoke winning we are in a very difficult position.

“I never fault the boys for effort; the effort it there it’s just we make too many errors but we’ve got to have a look at the playing staff and have a little bit of a change round and freshen up a bit now.”

Lewis Taylor scored a hat-trick for Margate, with his first two goals coming from the penalty spot in the opening quarter of an hour.

He netted his first spot-kick in the fifth minute and scored his second 10 minutes later.

Matty Whichelow made it 2-1 in the 37th minute but Taylor teed up Danny Green a minute before half-time.

And Taylor completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute to make it back-to-back wins for the Gate.

Hawkes again blamed individual errors and felt his side played some decent football in the second half.

But he added: “I’m responsible for what happens and I take responsibility but ultimately the players have to take responsibility as well.”

The defeat left Chelmsford 15th in the National League South table ahead of their home game against eight-placed Whitehawk on Saturday (KO 3pm).