MANAGERLESS Great Wakering staged a gutsy second-half comeback but it was not enough to prevent them slipping to another defeat.

Rovers’ caretaker boss Danny Heath recalled some of those players who had fallen out of favour during Danny Greaves’ short spell in charge.

But they got off to a disappointing start and found themselves 3-0 down in the first half following goals from Jason Barton, Lee Hales and Jack Jeffrey.

Chatham wasted no time in tearing into the league’s leakiest defence as Hales put Chats ahead in the second minute and by the midpoint of the first half it was 3-0.

Barton headed the 50th goal to find the Wakering net this season and Jeffery added another.

It was a harsh scoreline for a Wakering side who had played well but succumbed to their usual defensive frailties.

And the hosts gave themselves hope by pulling one back soon after the restart as Adalberto Pinto raced in from inside his own half before rounding visiting keeper Tony Kessell and slotting home.

And they set up some late drama when Luca Frankis, one of those recalled after being released by Greaves, headed home substitute Joe Bright’s cross with two minutes to go.

It all rounded off another difficult week at Burroughs Park.

On Friday the club put a statement on its website which said they would not be rushed into installing a replacement for Greaves, who quit after losing all of his six games in charge.

The statement also said that Concord’s joint manager Danny Scopes had indicated he was interested in the position, but that further discussions with the former Great Wakering player had revealed he does not have the “personal time to rebuild Rovers’ squad”.

The statement also says the club has not made an approach to their former captain Dan Trenkel to see if he would be interested in the manager’s position, but it adds that the club “have not ruled this out”.

Trenkel came on as a second-half substitute for Redbridge in their 2-1 FA Trophy defeat at home to East Thurrock on Saturday.

Great Wakering: Harrison, Keys, Kaza, Salmon, Fletcher, Skelton, Pinto, Sartain, Frankis, Carlilie, Okai.