King's Lynn Town's new manager Ian Culverhouse apologised to the travelling fans after seeing his managerial career at The Walks begin on a humiliating losing note at Hitchin Town.

Culverhouse did not pull any punches after seeing his side crumble in the first half against the Canaries.

Lynn's shell-shocked manager said: 'We had a good crowd of supporters here today and I want to apologise to them as that wasn't good enough.

'I want a team that wants to play with energy and passion and players who are really willing to work for the shirt.

'It's important that I get that message across as today wasn't acceptable.'

The Linnets found themselves 4-0 down at the interval and a furious Culverhouse said: 'When you give away goals like we did in the first half, the game is gone.

'Whenever the ball went the ball went into our box, especially in the first half, we looked as though we were going to concede, which shouldn't happen.

'There is some work to be done. The ball forward wasn't good enough and our forward play wasn't good enough.

'We'll wipe our chins, pull our pants up and get on with it on Thursday (at training).'

The former Norwich City defender, who took over in the hot seat on Wednesday, refused to use his recent arrival or the consequent departures of Lee Stevenson and Dan Quigley as an excuse for what happened out on the pitch.

'It's not about who is in charge, it's about the players and it's down to them,' he said.

'All I can do is guide them, as managers do, but it is the players who will win and lose you games of football.

'Today wasn't good enough – all day long.'

On losing both Stevenson and Quigley, Lynn's new boss said: 'I'm not going to keep players who don't want to be here.

'It's about King's Lynn Football Club, not certain individuals or past legends.

'If players don't want to stay or play here, why should I give them a shirt?

'They both stood forward and told me that they didn't want to be here, especially Stevo (Lee Stephenson) who said that his loyalty remains with Gary (Setchell), so we move on.'