Crawley manager Francis Vines has lost patience with his players a week before the new season has even started.

The Reds boss slammed his side after losing 6-5 on penalties to league newcomers Burgess Hill in the Roy Hayden Trophy at Broadfield Stadium.

The match, which finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, is the Sussex equivalent of the Community Shield when last season's Senior Cup winners face the County League champions.

Steve Harper put Hill ahead after 59 minutes with a neat finish under Andy Little after beating the Reds offside trap. Crawley hit back on 77 minutes with a superb 25-yard strike by trialist Robert Smith which flew into the top right-hand corner.

Players endured soaring temperatures on one of the hottest days of the year but it got even hotter for the Crawley players in the dressing room after the game as Vines made his disappointment clear. He said: "We were very, very poor. We scored a cracking goal but, overall, we were rubbish. We didn't create anything and we had players with experience, like Nigel Brake, who were very disappointing. I know it was very hot but it was the same for everyone else. Consistency is what I am after and that's not what we got.

"I'm not asking them to win every game but I do expect effort and some of the players who were on the edge of the team have not done themselves any favours. They are just running around like chickens and don't listen."

Crawley were without Mo Harkin and Warren Bagnall, plus new signings Justin Harris, Paul Armstrong, Joff Vansittart and Justin Gregory, who were all unavailable.Despite being understrength, Vines has warned some of his squad face the axe if performances do not improve.

He is already lining up replacements, with long-term target Norman Sylla set to sign after his contract was cancelled by fellow premier division side Havant and Waterlooville less than a month after joining.

The 19-year-old, cousin of former Leeds midfielder Oliver Dacourt, scored 41 goals for eastern division side Banbury last season but has problems travelling because he lives in Oxfordshire and cannot drive.

Vines said: "I know it is late to bring people in but if I get the chance to bring someone with quality here, then they will come in and some of the players who are on the edge will be pushed aside and unloaded. It is now at the stage of one in, one out.

"Sylla is someone we have looked at but the problem is he lives in Oxfordshire. He moved to Portsmouth after Havant supplied him with accommodation, but that came with the job so he has now gone back to Banbury.

"He is coming down to train and if he strikes us as someone we have got to have, then I am sure we will try to accommodate him as much as we can.

"Although he scored in a lesser division, he still got 41 goals. That's not to say he will score 41 in this division, but he will probably get 20."

Vines will miss the first five games of the season as he is due to go on a two-week holiday to the South of France on Friday.

He will not settle for anything less than a 100 per cent record during his absence and has arranged to return early if the first two results do not go to plan.

He said: "When I come back I expect to have five wins. It is a family holiday I arranged 16 months ago and it cost a lot of money, so it is something I couldn't cancel."

Ironically, the visitors could have won it outright in normal time had they converted a penalty awarded after 82 minutes. Substitute Matt Simpson was tripped in the box by Ian Payne, but Matt Geard saw his spot kick saved by Little. Geard missed again from the spot during the shoot-out, but three superb saves by Pat Gannon ensured Hillians claimed the pre-season trophy.

Hillians boss Gary Croydon is expecting big things from his side this season and is hoping the result will breed confidence for their opening game against Salisbury on Sunday.

He said: "I am very pleased with the way we nullified Crawley in the first half and I thought it became an even game. We defended very well and we will do that in every game we play this season. We are very confident of making the step up from the County League because we have been planning it for two years."

Crawley: Little, Holmes (Judge 42), Payne, Hooper, Pullan, Fear (Allman 46), Kember, Smith, Sadough (Hemsley 71), McDonald (Kirkwood 16), Brake. Sub not used: Quin.

Burgess Hill: Gannon, Head, Guile, Virgo (Venton 49), Johnson, Day, Harper, Downey, Wyatt (Simpson 23), Geard, Sullivan (Marshall 29, Killpartrick 66). Sub not used: Hurley.