Goals from Brad Smith, ex-Mole Josh Pearson and Jack Howard settled the game and ensured Binfield wouldn’t be progressing to the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup.

And Herridge said the defeat was fully deserved, with the visitors well and truly beaten on the day as they struggled to get out of first gear.

“We started reasonably well,” he said. “We had a lot of possession without really testing the keeper and then conceded just before half-time.

“It was a goal that I guess you can say was against the run of play and it becomes a different game after that.

“Sometimes you just have to give the opposition credit and in fairness to them, they executed their game plan perfectly.

“They didn’t have a lot of the ball but they worked hard, they chased us down and they got the goals they needed.

“I’m not looking for excuses but they knew the pitch better and credit to them, they used it to their advantage.

“Not many players in red won their individual battle on the day and if that happens then it’s very hard to win the game.

“For whatever reason, we just didn’t show up on the day and if that happens then you get beat.” It was a tight affair in the first-half with neither defence giving an inch and the majority of the play in the middle of the park.

But it was the hosts who carved out the first shot on target and it opened the scoring as Smith was on hand to side foot home from six yards after a mistake in the Binfield defence.

The Moles pushed forward in the second-half as they looked to keep their cup dreams alive but despite forcing numerous corners, they didn’t register a shot on target until added time as they struggled to create clear cut chances against a resolute Lea defence.

The hosts were dangerous on the break and killed the tie off in the 75th minute with a second goal when Pearson - who played for the Moles last season - saw his cross sail in at the far post.

There was still time for Lea to add a third as Howard hit a fierce dipping shot from 25 yards to seal the win in style and condemn Binfield to an early exit.

Herridge was disappointed at the manner of the exit and admits changes will be made ahead of the Bank Holiday double header this weekend.

“We’ll draw a line under it and we’ll look ahead to two games over the weekend,” he added, “They’re two very different games but we’ll look to bounce back as best we can.

“There’ll be a few changes as not many of the players from the weekend deserve to keep their shirt. “There won’t be wholesale changes but we’ll look at it and make a decision on what we feel is best to help us get back to winning ways after a disappointing week.” Binfield host Abingdon United on Saturday (3pm), before travelling to Holyport on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).