Nikki Bull described Margate's performance in Saturday's heavy home defeat to Oxford City as a debacle from start to finish.

The Gate boss kept his players in the changing rooms for more than half-an-hour after the 5-0 loss and then emerged to say he had seldom felt lower during his 11 months in charge at Hartsdown.

The defeat was Gate's fourth in a row - during which time they have shipped 15 goals - and leaves them 19th, just one place and one point above the Vanarama National League South relegation zone.

The Blues had gone into the game just one place and two points behind Oxford, whose third win on the spin lifted them to 15th. It was the second successive home game Gate had conceded five having lost 5-1 to Concord Rangers on October 22.

Bull explained: "I don't really know where to start to be honest - it was embarrassing and at times I couldn't believe what I was watching.

"Obviously I apologise to everyone who paid money to come and watch because it was a debacle, really from start to finish.

"We work on things in training. We set out how we wanted to play but after five minutes I'm having to change the system because it looked like we were going to concede right from the off.

"At times it looked like they had more players than us, our players looked scared, they went into their shells and did not do the basics right. Really there is not one part of our game today that was acceptable in any manner.

"Today was probably the lowest of the low. Every time I think we've hit rock bottom here something else comes along and certainly today was totally unacceptable. There weren't any positives to take from it at all."

Bull thinks some players might be using the club's off-the-field problems as an excuse for performances but he says they are wrong to do so.

He added: "I know things are tough (for everyone) but that's no excuse for what happened out there today. I'm well aware that there are a few players playing out there who are being linked with other clubs and will probably move on and that doesn't help, but you've got to be professional about it.

"You've got to be able to go over the white line and still do the job you're being paid to do. I've just said to the boys I can go home tonight and when my head hits the pillow I know I've done everything I can this week for the football club.

"I've earned my money, I've tried my best. I've just said to them to go home and ask themselves if they can say the same because it didn't look like that to me today."

The Blues travel to 13th placed Eastbourne Borough on Tuesday and Bull hopes to include a new signing, believed to be a winger. He had hoped the deal would be completed before the weekend but said there was an issue with the paperwork.