Players let club down - Holleran

Leamington already trailed 1-0 to a Drew Roberts penalty when Jamie Hood received a contentious red card for a challenge on Town striker James Faulkner.

However, despite their one-man disadvantage, Holleran still felt the game was there for the taking after the break.

“I said at half-time that I thought we’d done okay after the sending off,” said Holleran.

“One or two players were getting frustrated but we didn’t get stretched and we had a couple of late chances.

“We were still good enough to get something out of the game. We might get exposed but if we were patient and stuck at it we could get something.

“But we didn’t do any of that. The players’ discipline levels were zero.

“It’s the most frustrated and disappointed I’ve been in my two-year reign.

“The players let me down, they let the supporters down and they let the club down.

“I’ve never felt so embarrassed as a manager as I did in the last half-hour of the second half.

“Two or three big decisions went against us but that doesn’t excuse what happened.”

Roberts added three second-half goals to his first-half penalty to complete the rout, producing a stunning individual effort for his hat-trick.

However, while admitting there were glaring individual errors in the lead-up to the second and fourth, Holleran said the temperaments of some of his more senior players also needed addressing.

And he admitted it is something he has seen creeping in in recent games.

“I’m aware some of the players’ characters have got an edge to them and most of the time that is channelled.

“But there are problems developing that need a real close look at.”

The players were not the only ones to be on the receiving end of Holleran’s frustrations, with a section of the home support also coming under attack for negative comments made about Brakes’ style of play.

Dissenters accused Holleran of adopting a long-ball game but the 40-year-old has called the criticism unhelpful, pointing to a run of 13 consecutive home league wins prior to the Bedford reverse.

“The negative feedback was disappointing, especially as we’ve only lost one in 14 at home,” he said.

“We try and get the ball into the final third quickly with quality. Then we press the opposition.

“The assumption that we play kick and rush is wrong.

“Going forward our ball retention needs to be better.

“What happens is Jacob Blyth is a big unit and on occasions we go to him too early.

“But I don’t buy into the suggestion that it’s all hoof, hoof, hoof.”

Brakes have a chance to quickly bounce back from their heaviest-ever New Windmill defeat when they entertain Midland Alliance side Boldmere St Michaels in the FA Cup first qualifying round tomorrow.

Leamington, who beat The Mikes 1-0 in pre-season, will be without midfielder Jamie Sheldon, who is expected to be out for four to six weeks with a broken metatarsal and Stephan Morley, who limped out of the Hitchin game on Saturday.

Holleran is working hard to bring in a couple of new faces to replace the injured duo, but has so far been frustrated in his efforts.

“We’re a little bit short with Jamie and Stephan’s injuries and I’m trying to freshen things up.

“A couple of deals have broken down, but I don’t want to just bring in any players, I want to bring in players who I think can improve us.”

 Bill Branston, who appeared in goal for Leamington the last time they played Boldmere St Michaels in an FA Cup tie in 1953, will be a guest of honour for tomorrow’s match.

Branston, who is still a regular at Leamington games, received his guest ticket from Ray Nicholls, who won the prize in a draw organised by the match sponsors the Brakes Trust.

Nicholls, who is in France, is unable to make the cup tie and passed on his ticket to the former Aston Villa keeper, who will enjoy the hospitality alongside fellow draw winner Ann Miller.