FC CLACTON boss Tom Austin admitted being shocked and frustrated after watching his side collapse to a 5-0 defeat at Wroxham.

The Seasiders had made a strong start to 2019, winning three and drawing one of their opening four Thurlow Nunn League fixtures.

However, they were brought crashing back to earth at Trafford Park on Saturday.

Two-down at the break, they shipped three more in the second half and will now be hoping for a positive response when Haverhill Rovers visit the Rush Green Bowl on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

"To be honest, I don't know where that performance came from," Austin told the Gazette.

"It was like the boys had never played together before and I didn't see it coming.

"Wroxham were much better and undoubtedly deserved to win, even though we could have scored a couple in the second half.

"But overall it was just so frustrating and another example of us being too inconsistent. A Jekyll and Hyde side.

"We made the wrong decisions in key areas, took too many touches and didn't keep the ball well enough.

"It was basic stuff and I always say that in any match, you have to do the basics first and foremost. Then you do what you need to do to win."

Sonny Carey (two), Nathan Stewart (two) and Ryan Fuller scored Wroxham's goals.

However, Austin felt his side were still in the contest at half-time and believed they could get something from the match.

"We were only two-down and felt we could still get back in the game," he said.

"Then they scored right at the start of the second half and that really took the wind out of our sails.

"We made life hard for ourselves in what was always going to be a really tough game.

"It's a long way to go and Wroxham, who are third in the table now, had just beaten fourth-placed Stowmarket.

"That shows what a good team they are but now we have to move on and make sure we get back on track on Saturday."

Clacton's reserves were left without a match following the postponement of their Essex and Suffolk Border League second division contest at home to Lawford Lads Reserves.

They will hope to get back on track when they visit Cavendish on Saturday.

Clacton's under-18s are due to play at the Bowl on Thursday night, when Cornard United are the scheduled visitors for a Thurlow Nunn Youth League south division fixture (kick-off 7.45pm).