IT SHOULD have been one of the highlights of Eastbourne Borough’s debut season in Blue Square premier but instead their trip to Wrexham’s impressive Racecourse Ground turned into a nightmare.

There was no shame in losing to a team that look a good bet to return to the Football League under Dean Saunders’ shrewd management.

This was Wrexham’s eighth win in nine league games since the former Liverpool striker took over the reins – a new club record.

The margin of defeat was certainly a reality check following the tremendous victory against Torquay but if the final whistle had blown at 90 minutes it would hardly have been a disaster.

What happened in the four minutes of injury time, though, could have big repercussions for Borough over the hectic Christmas schedule.

Darren Baker will be suspended for the crucial clashes with Lewes and also the trip to Crawley after being sent off for kicking out at Jefferson Louis.

To rub salt in the wounds Wrexham added a further two goals to give the scoreline a harsh look in a game in which the visitors had certainly played their part despite being outclassed.

If that wasn’t bad enough Simon Wormull, Paul Armstrong, Jeff Goulding and Marc Pullan must all be doubtful for the visit of the Rooks on Boxing Day after picking up knocks in North Wales.

It made the long trip back to East Sussex a depressing one for manager Garry Wilson who made a beeline to referee Paul Davison’s changing room after the game to discuss Baker’s expensive dismissal.

He said: “I asked the referee about the sending off as it is really frustrating to lose my player for three important games.

“I wanted to know how he identified our player being in the wrong and not the Wrexham player because I saw the whole incident myself.

“Louis and Darren came out of the box pushing and shoving each other and Louis grabbed him by the neck and pushed him to the floor.

“It was wrong of Darren to kick out but I think the referee must realise it was a reaction to something. He is not just going to lie on the floor and kick another player.

“His explanation was that he didn’t see the first part of the incident but he saw the second and he could only act on that.

“We can’t appeal as Darren definitely did wrong but I think it is unfair that one has been sent off and the other hasn’t.

“Losing Darren will test our squad but we’ve just got to get on with it. We’ve got a lot of versatile players so I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

How Wilson must envy the resources Saunders has at his disposal.

The fact his 34-man squad contains five players on loan from Premier League and Championship clubs only highlighted the gulf between the two sides.

When the opening goal arrived it came courtesy of Manchester City full-back Sam Williamson who made a fool of Ben Austin before crossing for Marc Williams to score on the stroke of half-time.

That was a hammer blow for Borough who looked like going in level at the interval but there was worse to come a minute after the restart when Louis let rip into the top corner from 25 yards.

Matt Smart should have got the visitors back into the game when he somehow hit the post from six yards with the goal gaping before Williams wrapped up the points in the 65th minute when he ran on to a long ball to score as the Borough bench appealed for offside.

Borough were running on empty now and only some heroic defending from Marc Pullan prevented a rout but even he couldn’t stop Neil Taylor curling home a delightful goal soon after Baker had been dismissed while Williams completed his hat-trick in the last minute of injury time.

Wilson admitted: “We were beaten by the better side. We were chasing the game for most of the afternoon but we kept battling away until it went a bit pear-shaped at the end.”

Wrexham: Ward, Taylor, Mike Williams, Westwood, Williamson, Brown, Tsiaklis (Abbott, 74), Woolfe (Suffo, 81), Fleming (Fairhurst, 68), Louis, Marc Williams. Subs not used: Kearney, Smith.

Booked: Marc Williams.

Eastbourne: Hook, Austin, Baker, Pullan, Jenkins, Lovett, Armstrong, Wormull (Smart, 26), Smith, Barnes (Atkin, 71), Goulding (Harkin, 45), Subs not used: Harding, M Crabb.

Booked: Barnes, Smart.

Sent off: Baker.