Barnston boss Luke Nash has called for more commitment from his players after the team shipped six at high-fliers Gas Recreation.

They travelled to last season’s triple winners with some key players missing, but still with a strong squad.

Yet, despite matching Gas in the early exchanges, Barnston could not live with Gas once they had stepped up a gear. The hosts led 4-0 at the interavl and rattled in two more after the break.

Nash said: “I did not see that first half display coming. We looked comfortable in the first 15 minutes and then Gas seemed to click and we were caught out. We lacked desire to win the ball in vital areas and that cost us the two first goals.”

He added: “It was a tough game to come with players missing but I expected higher commitment from some of my players. This result needs to be forgotten quickly as we have three very tough fixtures over the next three weeks.”

After the early exchanges with both teams finding there way it was Gas who started to create chances. Charlie Turner made a good save down low and Troy Featherstone cleared off the goal line.

Barnston held firm until the 20th minute when Gas opened the scoring. Only five minutes later it was two, another cross from the right and a well-timed header increasing the scoreline.

Goal number three was the result of a goalmouth scramble which fell to a Gas player, and the home side made it four before the break with a 25-yard shot.

Barnston started brighter in the second half and did their best to make a match of it. They thought they had reduced the deficit when Gordon Wilson finished off a neat move only to have the goal chalked off for offside.

This was followed by a Featherstone effort that was cleared off the line in a scramble in what was now Barnston’s best period of play.

Gas added to their tally with two quality finishes past the helpless Turner in the visitor’s goal.

“It was a tough game to come with players missing but I expected higher commitment from some of my players,” said Nash.

“This result needs to be forgotten quickly as we have three very tough fixtures over the next three weeks.”

Barnston travel to White Notley on Saturday.