Unbeaten leaders Long Eaton United see off 10-men Eastwood CFC

But Red Badgers boss Steve Kirkham felt the result was cruel on his side as the Blues added three more goals following Sam Agar's58th minute dismissal.

“Although we deserved nothing from it in the end, I don't think it was a 5-0 game to be honest,” he said.

“You can't not be disappointed to lose 5-0, but they showed why they are top of the league.

“It sounds daft as it finished 5-0 but I spoke to their manager afterwards and for 45 minutes there was nothing in the game, so we can match teams.

“For an hour before the red card it was pretty even, but we probably had the two best chances of the match, didn't score, and they took their half-chances. That's why they are up there.

“Alex Marshall up top for them, his first two goals were just half chances and he's taken them really well and that's changed the whole game.

“We had two one-on-ones that we missed. Games are won in boxes and they are clinical which is why they're up there.

“We weren't and we've now not scored for a couple of games which is something we need to address as goals change games.

“But if you're playing top of the league you do need that bit of luck, take your chances and hope they miss a couple.”

He added: “Ultimately, with the red card as well you end up on the back of a 5-0 defeat though I am sure we won't be the last team they do that to.

“It probably gave us a bit of a reality check after our good result against Loughborough and battling performance against Boston when we deserved to win.

“We have to score more goals and tighten up – it's as simple as that.

“Against the lesser sides you might get away with it but when you're playing sides at the top of the league they punish you.

“It's something we need to address at training and maybe try something a bit different on a matchday.

“We had been scoring goals before this. We did score four against Leicester Nirvana, who aren't a bad side, and a few games back we beat Pinchbeck 6-0. “So it's not like the lads can't do it. We just need to get their confidence going ahead and keep creating chances.

“Long Eaton have been together for a few years and are a very good team – you don't get that overnight. I had hoped we'd be a bit closer but we weren't.

“But it's certainly not back to the drawing board as we have still come along way from bottom of the league.

“We have to look at the issues why we lost 5-0 and try to improve.”

On Saturday Eastwod head for Heather St Johns and Kirkham said: “It doesn't get any easier away at Heather on Saturday.

“It will be a different kind of test. Long Eaton gave us something that we couldn't deal with – they were too big and too strong.

“But Heather like to get it on the deck and play and we tend to do all right against sides like that. We have to prepare for that.

“They are a good side who only lost 3-2 to Long Eaton the week before. We know if we let them play they will do the same thing to us.”​​​​​​