Bexhill hit for six

Things started badly when Bexhill went behind to a fifth minute penalty and proceeded to get even worse as a limp performance left manager Len Watkins with much food for thought.

But the Polegrove supremo refused to launch the tea cups and instead opted to take a philosophical view of an afternoon to forget. He said: "It was just such an awful day. I don't want to criticise the players because they are down enough but they just didn't perform. We found it very difficult to readjust with the players missing and the confidence just drained out of the players."

Bishop slotted a controversial early spot kick, which Watkins admitted he didn't enjoy a clear view of, and went on to help himself to two more goals as Bexhill's defence neglected fundamental marking duties.

He made it 2-0 in the 20th minute before Simpson added a third that effectively settled the contest within the opening half hour.

The hosts' creaking backline at least managed to shut up shop until the 66th minute when Bishop completed his treble but Simpson and Piper added further strikes in a dire 10 minute period that followed. A single shot on target from Andy Matthews was all that the hosts could engineer.

Bexhill visit Forest on Saturday September 27.