ASSISTANT boss Steve Fletcher admits Cherries’ inconsistent form has left the management team with a tricky formation conundrum.

Cherries have enjoyed a fruitful six-match unbeaten run on their travels and have been reaping the benefits of deploying Wes Thomas as a lone striker.

However, in stark contrast, a perceived more attacking formation – with two up front – has proved largely ineffective and left them with the worst home record in League One.

Cherries will be bidding to turn the tide and improve their paltry four-point tally from seven home games when they host draw specialists Scunthorpe United tomorrow (3pm).

The Iron, relegated from the Championship, have drawn nine of their 16 games this season and have also suffered similar problems to Cherries having mustered only six home wins in the past 13 months.

Fletcher, speaking to the Daily Echo following Cherries’ 3-1 victory at Preston, told the Daily Echo: “We have got the majority of our points away from home and have played a slightly different system. On the back of a great win against Preston and another good performance, it will give us food for thought.

“There are always a lot of things to consider and we don’t just play a certain formation for the sake of it. We pick a team we hope will cause the opposition problems. You can prepare all week but personnel will invariably dictate which formation you play. It is always the biggest talking point during the week for us.”

Asked whether the management team felt under pressure to start with two strikers at home, Fletcher replied: “It is not so much pressure but you can leave yourself open to criticism if things don’t go well and you haven’t played an out-and-out attacking formation. But if you don’t play 4-4-2, it doesn’t mean it isn’t attacking. You want to go with what works for you.

“Predominantly, teams play two up front at home because it is up to them to force the issue. But away teams make it more difficult because the first thought is to be defence-minded. An away team will try to silence the crowd and look to counter attack. We have done that to good effect in our past few games.

“The players have got to believe and buy into how you want to play. As long as they are disciplined and prepare correctly, there is no reason why any formation won’t work and we are certainly not frightened to tinker.

“The tables have turned this season and our away form is better than our home form. We need to address it and need to start winning at home and then anything we get away is a bonus.”

Cherries: (from) Flahavan, Peters, Cook, Barrett, Cummings, Pugh, Purches, Arter, Malone, Fogden, W Thomas, Gregory, Symes, Fletcher, Zubar, Sheringham, Carmichael, Molesley, Cooper, Jalal.

Iron: (from) Slocombe, Nolan, Reid, S Duffy, Togwell, O’Connor, Thompson, Norwood, Dagnall, Grant, Barcham, Wright, Nelson, M Duffy, Ajose, Collins.