The Rocks boss blasted Mark Knee, Andy Pearson and Chris Greatwich as Bognor crashed to their fourth consecutive home defeat in Blue Square South.

“Their decision-making was poor, their body language was poor and their communication skills were poor,” Pearce said.

“You can’t play games at this level with only eight men. Those three were so poor it was like watching rabbits caught in the headlights.

“We got away with it for 44 minutes. Then we made changes in the second half which improved things and had three very good chances, didn’t take any of them and lost. That’s football I’m afraid.”

Left-back Knee was at fault for allowing Pat Harding time at the far post to poke Borough in front on 44 minutes.

And Knee again made it too easy for Stuart Ramsey to cross for substitute Scott Chamberlain to roll in the visitors’ second in stoppage time.

Pearce said: “Once again we conceded a very poor goal at a very bad time and were chasing the game.

“Mark Knee should have been marking their No7, but instead he decided to go and help out the centre-half, the ball fell to the No7 and it’s in the back of the net.

“Then the defending for the second goal was abysmal, and unfortunately it was Mark Knee again.

“All he had to do was stop the ball coming into the box, but he went to ground and their striker had all the time in the world to look up and pick his man out.

“I don’t know what Mark was thinking about but his decision-making was hopeless. He set high standards when he first came here but in the past few weeks he’s been very, very disappointing.

“Now it’s up to him. He can either drop down to the level where he was playing before, or he can take the criticism on board and try to improve.”

Bognor at least showed a big improvement on their previous performances at the Lane.

They dominated the second half and went closest to scoring on 62 minutes when David Ray’s shot struck the right-hand post.

Nightingale’s control then let him down when he was clean through on goal, before Ray squandered the home side’s best chance of the night when he headed Ollie Rowland’s brilliant first-time cross over from six yards out.

BOGNOR: Stoner, Richards, Knee, Budd, Breach, Pearson (Town 77), Ray, Harris (Birmingham 55), Beck, Nightingale, Greatwich (Rowland 55). Subs not used: Wallis-Tayler, Marshall.

EASTBOURNE: Hook, Baker, Lovett, Smart, Austin, Pullan, Harding, Armstrong, Ramsey, Aitkin, (Chamberlain 82) M Crabb (N Crabb 78). Subs not used: Ballard, Leach, Lightwood.

– JOHN CARTER