Bognor boss Jack Pearce warned there could be an exodus of players after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup by Southern League Hitchin.

Ragged Rocks crashed out in this second qualifying round replay to miss out on an away trip to Clevedon Town.

Pearce had hoped a run in the world's most famous club competition would boost finances and morale for his Conference south outfit.

But he stormed: "This result is a disaster. In the 36 years I've been here I can't think of a more embarrassing one.

"So many players were playing on reputations. This is not good enough. Every way this is bad for the club. Financially, it's the difference between players staying and going.

"They will find over the next few weeks exactly the repercussions. There will be players shifted out unless they want to play for a lot less money. This will be as of after the weekend.

"I feel for our supporters. We had a magic draw in the next round."

Pearce kept faith with the line-up which drew 0-0 in Hertfordshire on Saturday.

But his players failed to pay him back with a disappointing display in the opening half.

They failed to capitalise even when the visitors had goalkeeper Michael Parkin stretchered off on 27 minutes after trapping a nerve in an ankle under pressure from Luke Nightingale.

The best opportunity they could muster to test stand-in goalkeeper Scott Cretton was a free-kick from Richard Hudson which was comfortably saved.

Hitchin played five across the middle and a lone man up front and they denied Rocks the space to play their passing game.

The visitors went ahead on 31 minutes when striker Gavin Jaggard fired past Craig Stoner on the turn following a low ball from David Deeney.

Rocks showed more purpose after the restart. There seemed more cohesion about their play but there was still no cutting edge.

They had most of the possession but did little with it and the opportunities they created were no more than half chances.

Nightingale drove just wide on 58 minutes and 60 second later the former Portsmouth striker's shot on the turn went wide.

Centre half Jason Pearce, on loan from Pompey, joined in the attack on 75 minutes but his speculative 30-yarder sailed wide.

Hudson curled a free-kick over nine minutes from time and in the last minute Pearce's partner in the centre of defence, Stuart Tuck, had a point blank effort saved by Cretton. But Rocks only had themselves to blame. They should have done more to test a makeshift goalkeeper who faced them as a rightback on Saturday.

Bognor: Stoner; Piper, Rowland (sub Johnson 69), Budd (sub Birmingham 45), Pearce, Tuck, Watson, Howell (sub Wallis-Taylor 45), Hudson, Nightingale, Beck. Subs not used: May, Harris.

Hitchin Town: Parkin (sub Cretton 27); Pugh, Duckett, Frater, Folds, Deeney, Williams, Ross, Lamacraft, Jaggard, French. Subs not used: Taylor, Hammonds, Gillard, Bridge.

Refferee: Mr I Cooper.

Man-of-the-match: Jason Pearce.