MELKSHAM manager Nigel Tripp questioned the commitment of his players as they opened their league campaign with a heavy loss on the road.

Tripp put Saturday's result down to schoolboy errors. He said: "We got caught in possession and it cost us. We need to go back to basics. They threw the towel in during the first half.

"It's no good being able to catch the ball behind your neck if you can't pass or tackle."

It took Exmouth only 11 minutes to open the scoring with new player coach Richard Pears volleying in.

The second was also simple and Exmouth's Danny Burwood scored straight from a corner to make it 3-0 before half-time.

Melksham did respond to a ticking off and scored first in the second half when a rehearsed move from a corner came off, Chris Beasley nodding it in from one yard.

Melksham's James Cheeseman headed over the bar a minute later but Richard Spiller restored the lead. Owen Bryan volleyed in from six yards to restore some pride for Melksham but another costly error gifted Exmouth their fifth goal to end the drubbing.