Mark Ellis insists Carlisle United’s form can turn in the nick of time – provided they “keep scrapping”.

The defender admits the Blues’ struggle to go on a winning run to enhance their play-off hopes has been frustrating.

United have won just three of their last 13 League Two games and are now four points outside the top seven.

But centre-half Ellis says that, with 11 matches remaining, there is still time for Keith Curle’s side to improve their fortunes.

And he believes the character shown in grabbing a late point at Exeter on Saturday proves the players are not giving up the ghost.

“We’ve got to keep digging and digging,” Ellis said.

“Every team has a bad spell and we’ve just got to keep believing in ourselves.

“People talk about confidence but there’s no reason why the confidence should be low. The harder we work, hopefully the more things will improve again.

“Hopefully, it’s round the corner and fortunes will change for us going into the last 10 or 11 games.

“We just need to nail it down, take it by the horns and go for it.”

Ellis and his first-team colleagues are benefiting from an extended breather this week, with Curle giving the players yesterday and today off after a busy period of midweek games.

United’s fringe players will be involved in a friendly game at Brunton Park this afternoon.

But the focus will then turn to this weekend’s six-pointer with top-10 rivals Wycombe in League Two.

Ellis hopes the late fightback at Exeter, where Hallam Hope grabbed an equaliser five minutes from time, can be a springboard.

The 27-year-old added: “We were disappointed to concede the goals the way we did, but we showed good character to get ourselves back in the game.

“In the end we were happy to take a point. We managed to get something from it, but it’s just disappointing we couldn’t get that next win to get us back up [the table]

“We’ve seen on Saturday that, when we get in amongst teams and start getting up against them, they find it difficult to break us down.

“We’ve got to keep battling, keep scrapping and results will come for us.”