BRIDGWATER Town have parted company with manager Phil Hucker, the club announced today.

The news comes a day after the Robins were beaten 6-0 at playoff-chasing Mangotsfield United.

Hucker took over in January after previous boss Craig Laird departed for Dorchester Town.

Hucker, who had worked as chief scout for Weston-super-Mare, agreed to take over until the end of the season.

With relegation from Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West a near certainty, his priority was to give youth a chance in the club's remaining matches.

However, his first game in charge was clouded in controversy after a mass brawl broke out towards the end of their fixture with Larkhall Athletic at Fairfax Park - the referee abandoning the game.

Nine straight defeats have followed, this month losing to fellow strugglers AFC Totton and Wantage Town before a 6-0 beating at Mangotsfield yesterday.

Lewis Powell was the main thorn in the Robins' side - scoring four of his side's tally to leave Bridgwater eight points adrift of Wantage at the bottom of the table.

It took Powell 20 minutes to break the deadlock, scoring his 100th goal for Mangotsfield, and he made it 2-0 just four minutes later to send the hosts into half time with a two-goal cushion.

Just after the break, it was 3-0 as Matt Groves struck, and within five minutes Powell had completed his hat-trick.

The Robins held out for half an hour after that, but further strikes from Powell and Joe Hillard in the closing minutes added gloss to the scoreline.

Hucker's departure means that Dave Pearse has been placed in charge for this Tuesday's trip to Salisbury (ko 7.45pm), another side hunting a playoff place.