Watson's blast as four turn up late for AFC Telford v Macclesfield

Four of his team – Andy Owens, Mike Grogan, Sean Clancy and Steve Akrigg – arrived at the New Bucks Head 15 minutes before kick-off.

A crash on the M56 earlier in the day had caused their delay, and the team then shipped three soft first-half goals on their way to defeat.

And Watson said: "If you want to play in a full-time league against professional clubs, you need to act professionally.

• AFC Telford 2 Macclesfield 3 - report and photos

"We can't be having players turn up at 7.30pm because there has been a crash on the M56 which has happened at about 12pm.

"They have been caught up in it, but I normally go over the Runcorn Bridge to the M56 and I heard about the crash on the radio so I detoured and went a different way.

"They have got here late and the disappointing thing is that it was four of your main players.

"They go out on the pitch, it sets the tone, and we started off like a bag of spanners.

"And being brutally honest, we did well to come in (at half time) only 3-1 down."

Adriano Moke's fourth-minute opener was cancelled out in spectacular style by Owens' excellent 25-yard volley.

But a Waide Fairhurst double gave them an uphill battle in the second half, and despite Steve Akrigg's 81st-minute header they could not recover.

Watson also criticised midfielder Charlie Barnett, who was replaced by Clancy.

He said: "I said to Charlie he needs to take a leaf out of Sean Clancy's book because in terms of effort and workrate you can't compare the two.

"All we need to do is press and work extremely hard, and don't take liberties, and I think we did."