SWANAGE Town & Herston boss Alan Lay admitted nine goalkeepers could not have prevented his team’s defeat at Mere in the Dorset Premier League.

Swans saw their eight-game unbeaten run come to a juddering halt as they were thrashed 6-1 at Mere Recreation Ground.

Visiting stopper Adam Richards was beaten four times in the first half but Swans improved after the break and grabbed a consolation through Landon Arthur.

Lay said: “Our unbeaten run was ended in spectacular fashion and deservedly so. We used our ninth keeper of the season but we’d still have lost if I’d had all nine in goal at once!

“Mere are a very good team and they had a game plan that frankly blew us away from the first whistle.

“Inconsistency has been our biggest problem this season and it reared its ugly head again on Saturday.

“Our performance was a complete surprise given how the squad had performed in recent months.

“There are no excuses. The squad looked good on paper and the warm-up was dynamic and positive but we were never in the game.

“ I expect the players to put in decent performances in the last four games and finish a very disappointing league campaign as strongly as possible.”

SWANS: Richards, Robinson, Arthur (Aragones, 58), Parrott (Sparrow, 45), Stratford, Harding, Sands, Beale, Lovell, Woods, Harrop. Unused sub: Brown.

  • Hamworthy Recreation kept their title tilt on course with a 5-1 drubbing of visitors Tintinhull.

Aaron Stacey nodded the opener and a Rob Hatchard effort doubled the lead shortly before half-time.

Following the resumption, Joe Kittle's long-range shot went into the net via post and keeper before Tintinhull pulled one back.

Kittle subsequently nodded his second and Tom Willis rounded off an emphatic result with number five.

Elsewhere, Parley Sports won 2-0 at Bridport reserves and Wareham Rangers drew 1-1 with Shaftesbury.