DESPONDENT Pikes boss Jimmy Reid revealed he is "considering his position" after his below-par side were dumped out of the FA Vase.

Pickering saved their worst performance of the season for their most important game, suffering a 3-0 home defeat to Essex outfit Tiptree United.

And the outspoken Scot was left bitterly disappointed by the manner of his side's exit from the fourth round of the competition.

"It is such a waste to have got all this way and then play like that," he said.

"They may have been slightly stronger, but clearly wanted it more. When you see your lads fail to rise to the occasion like that, it makes you wonder whether it is worth continuing.

"I work a 70 hour week and I wonder sometimes whether I would be better off coaching an under-9 team who really want to play. I am going to go away and have a long hard think."

The physically dominant Jewson Counties League side imposed themselves from the outset on Pickering, much to the annoyance of the large home crowd.

The confident passing game that has gained so much success in previous rounds for the home side was noticeably absent, as was the hard-working midfield.

Tiptree took full advantage with striker Dave Mackrory forcing a header over the line after just 16 minutes.

Fellow attacker Steve Parrett bundled in the second just eight minutes later after a low cross left Pickering defenders stranded.

The Pikes, desperately missing centre-back duo Simon Sturdy and Phil O'Reilly, picked up towards the end of the half but lacked the killer ball to seriously threaten the Tiptree goal.

A strike from defender Phil Battell in the opening minutes of the second-half finished the match as a contest and left an impotent Pikes to try and salvage some pride.

This they failed to do even after Reid threw on strikers and changed to a 3-4-3 formation.

German Stefan Zoll livened up proceedings for the last half-hour with a few fancy turns and swivels but his remarkable failure to pass did little to aid Pickering's quest for a goal.

"It is a shame it had to end like this," concluded Reid.

"I am bitterly disappointed and I have told the lads that. They need to want it more."

Pickering: Mitchell, Chapman, Reid, Farthing, Matthew Russell, Thornton, Wilson (Wash 75), Willgrass, Wood (O'Reilly 73), MaCauley, Adam Russell (Zoll 61).

Tiptree: Haygreen, Battell, Ford, Houghton, Fish, Brady, Wareham, Daley (Powell 78), Mackrory, Parrett (Barefield 78), Tudor (Jackson 69).

Referee: Steve Sunley (Sunderland).

Attendance: 298.

Updated: 12:01 Monday, January 21, 2002