Steve Castle says Royston Town’s deputees let themselves down after crashing out of the Southern League Cup to Chalfont St Peter at Garden Walk on Tuesday night.

Having thrashed the Buckinghamshire side 4-0 at their place in Southern League Division One Central on Saturday, boss Castle decided to switch it around for the second-round clash in midweek, making six changes.

However, it was the visitors who rose to the challenge, netting twice in four second-half minutes through Alan Hedley and Kofi Lockhart-Adams to lead 2-0.

Frazer John notched a 69th-minute consolation for the league leaders but the damage had been done and Castle gave a damning verdict of the performance.

Castle told the club’s official site: “We, as a team, were well below-par in performance levels.

“I wanted to give them [fringe players] an opportunity to show they are worthy of a place and secondly, give regular first-team players a rest in order to ensure fresher legs in future matches.

“The only lads to come out of the encounter with any credit were the players not playing because the players involved badly let themselves down.

“There were too many individual errors, not enough work rate and hardly any quality when it really mattered.

“It was disappointing to put it mildly. My vision was to put these lads in and expect a lung-bursting, competitive match and for them to show what I’ve been missing.

“A practice game is how I would describe our performance.

“In every match played at any level you have to compete and earn the right to play. We simply didn’t and it baffles me why not?

“I know I will take some stick for not sending out a stronger team but all these fringe lads have performed well either in training or coming on as substitute.”

He added: “It’s not the end of the world if these players can learn from it.

“We need the whole squad playing at a good standard. With injuries and suspensions we will need everyone.

“When these boys get another opportunity they need to take it with both hands.”

Castle will be desperate for a positive reaction on Saturday as his side host Southern League Division One South & West outfit Wimborne Town in FA Trophy second round qualifying.