Manager Tony Elliott has resigned after Littlehampton's extraordinary 22-1 defeat against Horsham YMCA.

Chairman Andy Taylor, who described the players as 'embarrassing', will be in charge for tomorrow's league cup tie against Rye.

The result is a record in County League football. The previous worst was East Grinstead's 16-3 defeat against Newhaven in 1925-26.

Ironically, Elliott had told his players after the match: "Heads up boys, there has been a worse result than this."

Marigolds secretary John Savage said: "I was not at the game but when I saw the score on the television I thought it was a typing mistake and should have been 2-1.

"I went to bed believing that was the score and only realised when I heard it the next morning on the radio."

He added: "That was our third manager in a few weeks. We had Neil Hider, Andy Taylor in temporary charge, then Tony Elliott. Now we are looking for another manager."

Littlehampton are rooted to the bottom of the County League division one table with just two points from 12 games and Taylor has the unenviable task of lifting morale for tomorrow's match against Rye.

Meanwhile, YMCA manager John Suter has praised the professionalism of his goal-crazy players.

Remarkably, Suter was without his injured top goalscorer Paul Young for Tuesday's match.

Young has been displaced at the top of the scoring chart by Nick Flint, who rattled in ten goals.

Horsham averaged a goal every four minutes and led 9-0 at half-time. Suter said: "I told them at the break I expected the same performance in the second half. I was very pleased with how we kept our shape and did not get greedy for goals.

"I am worried it could become a millstone round our necks. We still only got three points for winning. It really was just another game.

"It just didn't seem possible to score so many goals. They defended poorly and we played very well.

"We have to deal with it. Fortunately I have a team that aren't a bunch of Primma Donnas and they are all down to earth."

Ten-goal hero Flint confessed he had little sympathy for Marigolds .

The former East Grinstead player said: "My heart doesn't go out to them. It was 9-0 at half-time and they should have tried to defend in the second half. "I would not blame their goalkeeper (Jez Long) for any of the goals.

"There were a lot of top class finishes. I could have had 11 goals but I set up one of our players instead."It was a weird game and a freak result."

Thrown into the hot-seat again, Taylor joked: "We should re-name this club Andy Taylor Town."

Littlehampton, who won the County League in 1990-91, have struggled since Taylor relinquinshed the manager's job after steering the side to safety last season.