STUNNED Bashley could not recover from the shock of boss Barry Blankley's untimely departure as they crashed out of the FA Cup in Kent.

After only being told of Blankley's surprise decision to quit on the team bus yesterday morning, Bash, led by vice-chair Derek Binns and scout/coach Ricky Haysom, were unable to rally as Martin Buglione's 57th minute strike proved the difference.

Missing instrumental skipper Craig Davis in the middle, Bash could not find their rhythm and fell behind when non-league striking legend Martin Buglione latched on to a long ball over the top and fired past the re-instated David Elm.

And although stand-in captain Aaron Cook headed a corner against the crossbar in the dying minutes, Haysom admitted a replay would not have been a fair outcome on the hosts.

Haysom said: "We were very disjointed with Craig Davis out. We put Danny Gibbons and Tony Wallis up front with Richard Gillespie behind them but it did not really work.

"A lot of players under-performed. I had the job of telling the players on the coach and 99 per cent of them did not know. They were shell-shocked and mega-surprised.

"I could not knock anyone for trying, everyone of the players tried and none of them shirked a tackle.

"After two bad results against Histon and Salisbury confidence is a bit low at the moment. Aaron Cook almost rescued it for us but we did not really deserve a draw."

Gibbons squandered a golden opportunity to pull Bash level after finding himself in a one-on-one with the Dartford keeper but he lifted his effort over man and bar.

Midfielder Graeme Gee was also denied twice from distance while the Darts hit the woodwork on two occasions.

Haysom and Binns are set to take charge of team affairs for the friendly visit of Premiership high-fliers Portsmouth to Bashley Road on Wednesday.

But Binns confirmed the New Foresters would be advertising for a new manager in the coming days.

Former Weymouth and Salisbury boss Geoff Butler is likely to be in the running having worked alongside Haysom at both clubs.

However, Totton chief John Robson, father of ex-Bash skipper Darren, has already ruled himself out of contention saying he is happy to remain at Testwood Park for the foreseeable future.

Bash chairman Ray Pinney did not attend the match as he was at St Mary's to see Southampton's 1-0 defeat of Manchester United.