James Collins felt sorry for Herne Bay’s fans after his first match in charge ended in defeat on Saturday.

New Bay boss Collins saw his new charges deliver a display that left more questions than answers, suffering a 2-1 Isthmian South East loss to fellow relegation-threatened team Phoenix Sports.

While top scorer Mike Salako briefly got Bay level midway through the second half, Collins admitted his players hadn’t left the majority of the 386-strong crowd at Winch’s Field much to get behind.

He said: “There’s some good players in that team.

“I’ve seen them a couple of times before. There’s some players that have got good pedigree and some players I have managed before.

“We tried something a little bit different, which maybe threw us out a little bit, and then we couldn’t get any rhythm in the game.

“We just didn’t really look like we had an identity, which I presume is probably natural because I’ve only just come in and done one training session. But it’s really disappointing.

Report: Herne Bay 1-2 Phoenix Sports

“I feel sorry for the fans because we didn’t really give them anything to cheer about - I know we scored a goal - but I said on the sidelines, that was the first time I’d heard someone clap in the stadium.

“Really, you want to get fans on the edge of their seats, even if you’re losing, and we just didn’t deliver.”

It was a performance which left Collins embarrassed and hoping their worst display of his tenure had come on day one.

He said: “The reason I didn’t come out for a while is because I feel embarrassed.

“I feel embarrassed to go into the clubhouse after we’ve just served that up.

“I know what you’re saying - but it doesn’t feel like that because I’m looking at it emotionally. But, logically, you’re right.

“Hopefully, I’ve seen them at their worst and, hopefully, I will see them be a little bit better.”

Collins was particularly frustrated at seeing his new side get outworked by Phoenix Sports.

“I thought we got outworked, which I really struggle with,” he said. “It’s the question I’ve just asked the management team afterwards ‘How has that happened?’. It’s the one thing that doesn’t usually happen after a new manager comes in.

“People usually work hard, although there might be a lack of quality, so I don’t know what has happened there.

“But certainly, I won’t be putting up with too many more performances like that.”

Collins was reluctant to be overly-critical, although conceded he wouldn’t tolerate too many repeat performances.

He conceded: “Maybe, I changed it when I shouldn’t have done. It was an opportunity to look at things, but I just felt that we got outworked.

“I don’t think we showed a great deal of quality, conceded silly goals and you’re playing a team fighting for their lives.

“With 10 minutes to go, you want to be camped in their half, creating something, and it just didn’t happen. It’s hugely disappointing but, obviously, it’s only the first game.

“I just don’t want to make excuses because it wasn’t good enough.”

Both goals Bay conceded came from corners and Collins said: “The things that led to the corners, they weren’t great. But it’s just one game and everyone is allowed a bad game.

“If I’d managed 11 games and we had won 11 in a row before playing like that, you’d say ‘Oh, you’re allowed one’ so let’s just hope that we have got that one out of the way!”

But Herne Bay have a goal threat in striker Salako, who bagged his 16th goal this campaign against Darren Anslow’s troops.

On Salako, Collins, who also gave a debut to midfielder Jordy Ndozid, said: “I thought him and Ethan Smith were our best players. I thought they played really well.

“As poor as we were, I said at half-time that, if Mikey Salako hadn’t played well, how bad would we have been? He chased lost causes and he never gave up.

“If we had a striker that didn’t play as well as he did today, it could have looked worse.

“I’m trying not to come down on the players too hard - but that’s just not acceptable. I’ve said to them that’s not the way we will be playing, going forwards, and I won’t be accepting that.

“But hopefully, it’s a one-off. I can’t vouch for what they were like before - I know there’s been an upturn in results when Matt (Barman, chairman) took over - and Steve (Lovell, Bay’s former manager) did an amazing job last season.

“So, there’s players in there, but I don’t think we have seen that.”

Collins is also well-placed to offer comparisons between Isthmian South East and Isthmian North, having won promotion through the latter division last term with old club Bowers & Pitsea, before he left them on Christmas Eve.

He revealed: “I always thought the South East was the stronger one.

“Obviously, I’ve not been in the North this year, but the North is so much more physical. In the South East, I think teams play more football.

“I think players are more technical and the managers are more technical although, hopefully, no North managers read this! But in the North, you have got to be at it because it’s physical.

“Funnily enough, the two goals that Phoenix scored, they’re two North goals. If you switch-off at a set-piece, then goal.

“In the Premier Division, that’s the biggest step-up in the leagues from the levels that I’ve done.

“But this is a very good level.”

Bay are at Beckenham, thumping 9-0 weekend home winners against Lancing, on Tuesday.