Harwich and Parkeston are upset with Braintree Town after a farcical reserve team match saw the Blue Square South side run out 10-1 winners, with the majority of their team made up of first-team players.

Harwich were understrength themselves, according to first-team manager Mark Morsley, who had to call up four reserve team players for his side’s game at Felixstowe and Walton United on Saturday.

And Morsley said the situation was ‘detrimental and unfair’ on his club.

He told the Gazette: “This is not fair at all and is not something we would ever do.

“If we had a first-team game called off we would hold a training session as it is detrimental to play a Blue Square South side against a team of players who had been playing in the under-18s youth league.

“There is the on-going debate about King’s Lynn Reserves and Histon Reserves in Ridgeons League but I can almost understand why teams would want to keep their club up and avoid the drop by putting a stronger team out.

“But we are talking about a reserve league team playing a Blue Square South team and I can’t get my head around it.

“I was upset about it, as is the whole club. We were four short in the first-team so reserve team manager Chris Rose had to give 15 and 16-year-olds a run out and he has done a fantastic job this season and never moaned when I’ve had to take players.”

Braintree fielded Joe Bruce, Mark Jones, Ryan Moran, Andy Porter, Chris Piper, Mickey Shinn, Louis Riddle and former Crystal Palace and Colchester United striker Gareth Williams (who scored four times).

Meanwhile, Harwich are at home to Wroxham tomorrow, hoping to put two defeats on the trot behind them.

Martin Calver is unavailable, but Morsley said he is happy with what he has available to him.

He said: “It is a shame that Martin isn’t available as he has done a good job but I am happy with the team I have.

“It has a lot of pace and movement about it and we need to make sure we get the basics right and all the things we were doing before when we were winning.”