GOSPORT Borough manager Alex Pike admitted his side were outclassed by League One Colchester.

Nine months after reaching the FA Trophy final, Gosport’s debut in the FA Cup first round turned out to be the finale of another memorable cup run, as Colchester won 6-3 in front of 2,013 at Privett Park.

“The disappointment is that we didn’t play like we would do in a Conference South game,” said Pike. “In the first half we gave them far too much respect and space to play and when we were in possession we gave the ball away.

“When they took a touch they already knew the big picture, their thinking was three or four seconds quicker than ours.

“That’s what full-time training does for you. I’m sure some of my players would benefit from that but after preparing well I didn’t expect us to concede the first three goals in the manner we did.”

It was effectively all over within 26 minutes of the kick off as Colchester raced into a 3-0 lead against a Gosport side seemingly cowed by the big occasion during the opening half hour.

Gavin Massey fired in the 15th-minute opener at the second attempt when Sanchez Watt’s powerful header came back off the inside of a post.

Former Arsenal trainee Watt volleyed in the second from Freddie Sears’ cross six minutes later.

And Gosport captain Brett Poate was fortunate not to be sent off when he brought down former West Ham striker Sears, who sent Nathan Ashmore the wrong way from the spot.

“Poatey was lucky to stay on, it was poor refereeing all round because he should have played advantage,” admitted Pike.

Saints academy graduate Poate had an afternoon to forget without the suspended Sam Pearce alongside him in the Gosport back four.

But there were positives for Gosport, against opposition from three levels above. Mike Carter, their summer signing from Sholing, impressed in midfield and Justin Bennett scored two and made another to make the scoreline respectable.

Bennett’s clinical first goal was sidefooted in off the far post from Ben Gerring’s cross in the 39th minute.

Former Saints striker Matt Paterson also showed his quality, firing an audacious curler narrowly wide after cutting in from the left flank.

But Colchester teenager Alex Gilbey restored his side’s three-goal advantage on the counter attack on the stroke of half time.

With Southampton barber Adam Wilde now on the left flank of a 4-4-2 formation, the second half was a vast improvement.

Bennett and Paterson soon showed why they have now scored 29 goals between them this season.

Former Eastleigh striker Bennett had just been denied in an attempt to round goalkeeper Sam Walker when he slotted in his and Gosport’s second following a quick exchange with Paterson, who provided a beautifully-weighted assist.

It remained 4-2 for most of the second half, until two-goal Sears and sub Sammie Szmodics gave the scoreline a little more garnish.

Former Sholing striker Lee Wort has been in Paterson’s shadow since his summer move east, but completed the scoring in injury-time when he slotted in his second Gosport goal off a post following Bennett’s assist.

“We defended far too deep in the first half but we’ve scored three goals against a League One side and have got to take credit for that,” said Pike, who was effusive in his praise of Bennett, a 32 year-old financial adviser signed from Eastleigh seven years ago.

“I’m surprised a league club’s never taken a punt on him,” he said. “He had other chances, he was always getting in behind.”

Now Pike’s plan is a charge for the Conference South play-offs and another run in a major cup competition. ”There’s no reason why we can’t go one step further than last year and go all the way in the Trophy,” he said.

Gosport: Ashmore; Forbes, Poate, Gerring (Molyneaux 68), Williams; Ramsey (Wilde 46), Smith, Carter, Wooden; Paterson (Wort 80), Bennett.