‘I’ve been too nice’ – Angry Bognor Regis Town boss promises to clear out under-performing players

Blake reacted with anger after the fourth league loss on the trot and promised to make changes to arrest an alarming dip in form that leaves Bognor 15th in the table.

The Nye Camp chief was especially upset with the visitors' defending which saw the home side pierce the rearguard with four balls in to the box that led to the four goals.

Bognor enjoyed long spells of possession – and forced 15 corners -- and actually took the lead when Nathan Odokonyero pounced to make it 1-0 on 38 minutes. But just three minutes later the Londoners levelled through Elliot Long.

Goals from Luke Ifill on 53 minutes, Antonis Vasiliou 15 minutes later and a 71st-minute strike from Wilfred Samuel-Ompreon made it 4-1. Calvin Davies grabbed a consolation goal on 91 minutes.

Blake didn't hold back when he told of his disappointment at the reverse. He told Rocks Radio: "I can't repeat what I told the players. Let’s just say I try and treat people with respect but when I am not getting it back from people who don't care then the line has to be drawn, and it has been drawn.

"I'm not going to be the same person going forward. I just find it unacceptable that a team we play against puts the ball in our box four times and we have conceded four goals. I'm looking for leadership, passion and togetherness -- we have got paying punters to come and watch and cheer the team on and they get dealt that... and I'd love to be honest and use the vocabulary that I want to use, but I know I can't.

"I am so livid it is untrue. When you see the patterns that we try to play and when we get the personnel right and we get the personnel in, the supporters will see a really good team but unfortunately because we have got too much dead wood at the minute, that needs to be changed, that can't happen within one week.

"I am taking full responsibility because it is my team. I pick the players but going forward (my attitude) towards the players will change and there will be changes.

"We deservedly took the lead but when you have a soft underbelly and we don't do the basics, the fundamentals, we are going to concede, unfortunately. I can understand the supporters' frustrations but all I can say is, we are planning, we will get stronger. We will get better players in and we will have people who run through brick walls for this football club – and we haven't got that at the minute.”

Blake gets the chance to shuffle his pack as a reaction the defeat when his side take on Bexhill United in the Sussex Senior Cup at Nyewood Lane on Tuesday – and they are at home in the league on Saturday against Enfield.

He added: "There are players who have been told in the dressing room that it is nowhere near good enough and nowhere near acceptable and whatever happens and whatever changes for Tuesday and on Saturday we have to see a reaction. I've been too nice and too respectful to these players and unfortunately I have not been getting it in return and so, inevitably, you see it change and you have to change towards people and I will do that."

Bognor: 1 Matt Rowley, 2 Calvin Davies, 3 Joe Rabbetts, 4 Sam Magri, 5 Cameron Black (Joe Briffa 61'), 6 Craig Robson, 7 Sam De St Croix (Tom Chalaye 60'), 8 Walter Figueira (Matt Paterson 69'), 9 Nathan Odokonyero, 10 Dan Gifford, 11 Isaac Olaniyan. Subs: 12 Tom Chalaye, 14 Joe Briffa, 15 Matt Paterson, 16 Josh McCormick.