Those are the stark statistics of Hotels' recent form and figures that have turned the prospect of relegation from an outside possibility to a frightening probability.

And on their showing in the six-pointer against fellow strugglers Devonshire Cougars on Tuesday night, when an advance into their opponents' half was reason for fullsome celebration, a swift return to the Second Division for last year's champions would not come as any great surprise.

But Hotels boss Robert Calderon denied his team's formation, decried as over-defensive by some, was at the root of their problems. "We play 3-5-2 and some people are going to be critical because they don't like it,'' he said.

"But last year we played the same system and we were the second highest goalscorers.

"We've lost Ricky Hill up front and even though he was 39 we've not been able to replace him. We didn't get some of the players we wanted to bring in and so we ended up with some who had not been playing on a regular basis.

"If you have not got attacking players you put in place a system that suits them. About 75 per cent of our players are defensive-oriented.

The problem has been compounded by the loss of captain Clifford Roberts against Vasco with chipped bones in his ankle and the suspension of Dennis Robinson for too many cards.

Roberts, who is out for the rest of the season, and Robinson have, in fact, scored five of Hotels' sorry total of nine league goals in 14 games between them.

"When you lose two players like that in a team that doesn't have a lot of talent, you're going to be in trouble,'' Calderon added. "On Tuesday we actually played 4-4-2 instead of the wing back system because we needed to win the game. But with our depleted team we were just forced back.'' Calderon, who was named to work alongside national technical director Clyde Best for the cancelled matches against Puerto Rico, says his team can still stay in the First Division. "It's going to be tough but we're not giving up: two victories in this league and you have a chance to stay up.'' One of Sunday's FA quarter-final matches has had a change of venue. Devonshire Colts will play Dandy Town at White Hill Field instead of BAA Field as previously announced by the Bermuda Football Association. All four of Sunday's matches start at 2.30 p.m. instead of the usual 3 p.m. kickoff.