Town have been showing plenty of encouraging form in their pre-season friendlies so far, but they couldn’t carry that on at the Beehive on Thursday evening when a lively Studley side took full advantage of some uncharacteristically casual defending from a depleted Town squad to run out convincing winners.

With Richard Gregory, Chris Sterling and Tyrone Fagan all missing it would have been no surprise if Town had struggled in attack, but instead their problems were all at the other end with that much travelled and hugely prolific marksman Mark Bellingham causing problems throughout the 90 minutes and helping himself to two of the three goals which the Bees rattled in during the second half in which Town used all of their six substitutes.

Also absent was Carl Adams - away on a course - which meant that Gary Moran who is now Town’s Assistant Manager was in charge, and early on it all seemed to be going to plan.

Town went ahead in only the seventh minute when Tyrone Amory ran onto Simeon Tulloch’s through ball to slot it past Studley keeper Shaun Edwards, and with Alex Price and Jamie Sheldon bossing midfield and Harvey Headley impressing with his physical presence up front there was no indication of the eventual outcome.

Even with Bellingham using all his experience Studley had hardly threatened until they equalised on 25 minutes with a tremendous individual goal from Danny Morris. Getting the better of a tussle with Sam Adkins on the halfway line the Studley right back stormed forward unchallenged to reach the penalty area where he skipped round the advancing Andy Kemp and drilled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

It only took Town seven minutes to regain the lead when Price threaded the ball through to Headley who timed his run perfectly to stay onside and coolly slide it past Edwards, but the lead didn’t last long as Reece Hewitt worked his way in from the left far too easily from Town’s point of view and shot low past Kemp

With the interval looming Headley used all his strength to work an opening out of nothing but his ferocious shot was somehow beaten away by Edwards, before Studley took the lead in the final action of the half.

Again Town didn’t help themselves as they failed to deal with a cross from the left and Hewitt seized on the loose ball to thump it past Kemp from the edge of the penalty area.

Gary Moran began his substitutions at the start of the second half with Dominic Roggero taking over in goal and Joe Halsall coming on for Tulloch, but inside ten minutes Studley increased their lead when Bellingham found himself in acres of space on the right and cut inside to finish expertly past the helpless Roggero.

With more Town changes following in quick succession Studley began to have most of the meaningful possession, and apart from a well struck Sheldon effort from some 20 yards out which was comfortably held by Edwards another Town goal never looked likely.

Instead Studley added a fifth in bizarre circumstances when Danny Cater chased down a Town backpass and Roggero hit his attempted clearance straight at the Studley substitute with the ball then rebounding past the stranded keeper into the empty net.

And with ten minutes to go Studley made it six when Roggero spilled a left wing cross and inevitably there was Bellingham to complete what was by now a thoroughly forgettable Town evening.

TOWN : Andy Kemp (Dominic Roggero 46), Aaron Stringfellow, Sam Adkins,Loyiso Recci, Callum Burgess (Liam Reynolds 59), Alex Price (Aaron Williams 66), Lee Glass (Sean Brain 55), Simeon Tulloch (Joe Halsall 46), Harvey Headley, Jamie Sheldon, Tyrone amory (Sam Bethell 68).

The View From The Dug Out - a few words from Gary Moran aptly sum up a disappointing Town display

“It has been a reality check - it’s as simple as that ! I warned everyone beforehand that Mark Bellingham would be a handful even though he is not as quick as he used to be and he showed that he