ADAM Peek admits Southend Manor have been forced to call off a friendly with Hullbridge Sports.

Peek’s side were due to travel to the Ryan’s Heating Stadium this weekend, but injuries picked up before and during the late 4-3 Essex Senior League defeat to St Margaretsbury means Manor have a shortage of options.

And Peek was disappointed to cancel the friendly.

The Manor boss said: “We were supposed to play against Hullbridge in a friendly, but we knocked that on the head because of the amount of injuries we have picked up.

“Our loss at St Margaretsbury came after players who were due to start picked up injuries in the warm-up and then another three got injured during the second half.

“The changes that we had to make because of those injuries rocked us and the players let themselves down in the last 20 minutes.

“When you are 3-2 up, you need to manage the game well.

“But the players didn’t work hard and it was disappointing because, at half-time, I could only see there being one winner - us.”

A first half Larry Akanbi brace and Jordan Chambers effort were not enough for Manor to triumph at St Margaretsbury.

And Peek was not impressed with how his side finished the clash.

Peek added: “We looked dangerous heading into half-time but we missed a couple of chances at 3-1.

“We then capitulated in the last half an hour and let them back into the game.

“They scored the winner in the last minute and it was a bitter pill to swallow.”