Welling manager Jamie Day has admitted it wasn't a surprise that he had to cut his squad after their early FA Cup exit.

The Wings crashed out 2-0 at fellow Blue Square Bet South high-flyers Braintree on Saturday and Day released keeper Charlie Mitten (below right) and Dean Cracknell (right) on Tuesday night.

"They were the two highest non-contract players," said Day. "It got the amount of money off the wage bill that I was asked to do.

"If we didn't win the cup game, I always thought there would be some cut in the budget although I didn't think it would be that much.

"I'm disappointed that I had to let Charlie go as he was player-of-the-year last season and has played well again this year.

"It was the same with Dean, he is a decent player to have in our 18 but the situation at the club meant I had to offload him."

The cuts come with the Wings still battling to pay off an estimated £90,000 debt to HM Revenue and Customs over an outstanding tax bill. They still have to raise around £50,000 by the start of December.

Day needs to bring in a keeper for this Saturday's trip to Weston and is understood to be in talks with a player with substantial Football League experience.

Day has also signed defender Anthony Achempong, who was with the Wings in pre-season, but has since been at Aveley while Ben Billings has moved in the opposite direction to gain first-team experience, although Day revealed that he hopes to have him back in his squad by the turn of the year.