SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: WARMINSTER Town were handed their heaviest defeat of the season as visitors Weston St Johns went goal crazy at Weymouth Street on Tuesday night.

The hosts, who registered their first victory of the season at Weston in September, conceded five goals in each half and remain four points adrift at the foot of the First Division table.

Warminster manager Andy Crabtree, who was unable to see the second half goal action from the dugout due to heavy fog, blasted his side after a woeful first half display.

He said: "The first 45 minutes was the most inept performance I have seen from a Western League side.

"We were spineless and I've never seen a worse Western League performance than that in my life. It was embarrassing.

"We would have liked to have bounced back from the Calne game but that's out of the window now.

"The problem is, I know the players can play better that that. How can you go to Larkhall and win and then put in a performance like that?"

Crabtree refused to blame worsening fog in the second period for the heavy defeat.

"I didn't see one goal in the second half, all I could hear was cheering. I can't blame anyone for any of the goals because I didn't see them.

"We've got no excuses. They adapted to it and we didn't. They had 11 shots all game and ten went in.

"I think the ref was going to call it off after about 60 minutes but they were 7-0 up by then and wanted to carry on."

It is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire for Crabtree's men as they look to bounce back from Tuesday's hammering at Premier Division Elmore in the Les Phillips Cup tomorrow.

Said Crabtree: "We haven't got anything to lose going there."

Warminster Town 2, Calne Town 4

IT was the second major blow in four days for Warminster, who on Saturday had gone down at home to their fellow Wiltshire strugglers Calne.

The points moved Calne out of the First Division relegation zone.

Calne took the lead in the 17th minute when Tim Jefferies netted from the edge of the penalty area. Gareth Everson missed a golden opportunity to equalise for Warminster when his free header went wide.

Calne scored twice in three minutes at the start of the second half. First after 47 minutes when substitute Lee Chalk scored and two minutes later Mark Strickland netted with a fine lob over goalkeeper Lloyd Chamberlain following a defensive mix-up.

Calne scored their fourth in the 73rd minute when manager Paul Rankin netted with a diving header following a cross from the right.

Matt Carpenter reduced the arrears after 76 minutes following a goalmouth scramble and Jason Guy scored a fine second goal in the 88th minute when he beat two defenders out on the right and shot into the top far corner of the net.

Calne manager Rankin was delighted to see his side end their dismal away run and register their first three-point haul since he took sole charge of the team last month.

He said: "Psychologically it was an important three points and a real six-pointer because Wellington lost as well, which moves us out of the bottom two for the first time in a while.

"I was immensely pleased with the players. We had five under 18s in the squad and that's the way it's going to have to be because of the difficulty of attracting players while we are at the bottom.

"The players really deserve it and their reaction at the end said everything.

"They deserve their reward, although that only really lasts until the next game."

Rankin's opposite number Andy Crabtree said: "It wasn't very good. We were alright in the first half but 15 minutes into the second we were 4-0 down."