LEYTON find themselves in a transitional period with five players departing over the last week after manager and chairman Costas Sophocleous was unimpressed by early season results.

Those who have left include Steve West, Danny Hill, Dean Palmer, James Bunn and James Hasell while others could be on their way in the next few weeks if events on the pitch don't improve.

And assistant manager Kevin Wilkins was certainly not impressed with the two home results over the last week when the Lillywehites crashed 3-1 to Horsham on Saturday, before being heavily beaten 6-1 by Heybridge Swifts on Tuesday night.

Reflecting on events, he said: "We were all hugely disappointed with the 6-3 result against Hemel in the FA Cup the other week, and we had to question the commitment of some of the players.

"That has seen a few leave over the last week while we look to change things around. Of course it will take time for new people to come in a settle in the side, but we were still disappointed with our last couple of results particularly Tuesday night.

"The side we put out was strong enough to do a lot better, and at times our defending really let us down.

"We don't have a league game until Saturday week, so we will be working hard with the lads in training while also looking to perhaps bring in a couple of new faces as well before then."

Against Horsham the hosts went 2-0 down early on as Lee Carney scored from close range after only four minutes before Nigel Brake headed home superbly from a corner on 37.

The deficit was reduced on the stroke of half time when Leli Bajada scrambled the ball home.

Bajada and Louis Fazackerley went close for Leyton at the start of the second half, but the visitors ended the game as a contest on 68 minutes when Carl Rook neatly lifted the ball over keeper James Hasell.

Things didn't get much better on Tuesday night as goals from Jamie Richards and Sean Marks on five and 26 minutes respectively put Heybridge into a 2-0 lead at the break.

Marks added a second three minutes after the break, although Bajada was on target again for the Lillywhites on 52 minutes with a neat turn and shot from the edge of the area. A quickfire brace from Richard Jolly and another goal from Marks sealed his hat-trick five minutes from time to complete a miserable week for Leyton.

The Lillywhites will now return to fottball action on Tuesday night, when they entertain Maldon Town in the Westview League Cup third Round.