Bowers & Pitsea are out of the FA Trophy after comfortably losing an exciting match 4-1 against Whyteleafe in Surrey.

Rob Small’s team were looking to put a difficult week behind them and they looked good early on against the side from the Isthmian League South East.

Tyler McCarthy was forced into a save from a Callum Leahy effort, and Richard Halle then blasted off target on his first start for the club.

David Knight headed over as Bowers upped the tempo in Surrey but it was Whyteleafe that took the lead with one of their first forays forward.

A defensive lapse in concentration from Lewis Clark was pounced upon after 25 minutes by Matt O’Donoghue and he slotted past Andy Wilton.

Ten minutes later Wilton was called into action once again, making a key stop from 12 yards. Clark committed a foul in the penalty area but Wilton was equal to the penalty.

Wilton’s stop from Marvin Armstrong looked to be a turning point when, two minutes before the break, Bowers levelled.

Ben Sartain pressed the ball high up the field and fed to ball to Quentin Monville who fired low into the corner.

After the interval, Armstrong headed over when it looked easier to score before an effort was then chalked off for offside with the home team pressing.

But Armstrong was to get his goal. One minute Bowers were attacking and the next the hosts broke and the striker powered past Wilton with 25 minutes remaining.

Eddie Dsane added a third in the final 15 minutes before Clark's rotten game continued, booked having conceded a second penalty.

Dsane scored to round off a miserable afternoon for the Essex team.