EYNESBURY Rovers manager Dean Shipp admitted his side looked resigned to defeat in Saturday s match against Bugbrooke. The player-manager took up his position between the posts but was powerless to stop the visitors leaving Hall Road with a 2-0 victory.

EYNESBURY Rovers manager Dean Shipp admitted his side looked 'resigned to defeat' in Saturday's match against Bugbrooke.

The player-manager took up his position between the posts but was powerless to stop the visitors leaving Hall Road with a 2-0 victory.

Shipp said: "It was a very disappointing performance from us to say the least.

"We struggled from the off, our distribution was poor, the work rate deteriorated and we looked resigned to defeat."

The boss admitted that he was at something of a loss to understand his side's poor performance.

"It is difficult to put your finger on why we so poor - I wish I could," Shipp said.

"There is no doubt that Bugbrooke will have been expecting a tougher game."

The manager took time out to praise substitutes Kriss Watten and Ian Dawkes, who came on in the second half with Rovers already 2-0 down.

Both men had efforts cleared off the line as Eynesbury scrambled in vain to pull a goal back.

Shipp said: "Chris and Ian helped us fight back and chase the game but being two goals down had given us a mountain to climb and we didn't create anything until the closing stages."

The absence of Danny Workman left Shipp donning the gloves and the manager admitted that he had entered the game in a different mindset.

He said: "When you cross the white line you have to focus your efforts 100 per cent as a player.

"I have capable people on the sidelines and it is important to draw that distinction between being a player or a manager."

Nine players left the club in the close season - some enticed by offers from clubs paying wages.

Shipp said: "We have got a new, young side and it will take time for them to gel as a squad.

"We can't match sides that have budgets of hundreds of pounds to spend every week but I am confident that we can build a side capable of competing in the league."

Eynesbury will have Workman and Kirk Kidd available for Saturday's trip to Northampton Sileby.

Meanwhile, St Neots Town manager Scott Houghton was delighted with his side's 5-0 victory at Cogenhoe - labelling striker Barrington Belgrave as 'the Wayne Rooney of St Neots'.

n Full match reports - Page 126.