Lloyd Blackman is ready to wield the axe after losing patience with his under-performing Ramsgate players.

Rams were thrashed 7-0 by Chelmsford in the FA Cup on Saturday and are third-bottom in Bostik South after losing five of their first six games.

Blackman admits his side lack character, are not learning from their mistakes and have become a soft touch since finishing 12th last season.

He said: "I’m not going to sugar-coat it, I’m going to tell it as it is.

"The players, in my opinion, are slipping into a comfort zone and they can’t get themselves out of it.

"Whether or not that was because of the way we ended last season, they maybe thought it was going to be easy to carry on but results have proved otherwise.

"These mistakes are things that are said all the time and I can’t keep seeing them occurring.

"It’s not as if I’m painting a picture to them that’s different. It’s not.

"We’re all accountable for it and we’re speaking to some players this week. Contract or non-contract, it doesn’t bother me. There will be movement at this club because I’m not happy with the way we’re performing."

Ramsgate held out for 40 minutes at Chelmsford before Michael Spillane broke the deadlock with Thomas Hitchock soon doubling the Clarets’ lead.

Chris Dickson scored a second-half hat-trick and there were also goals for Jim Stevenson and Anthony Church as the Rams capitulated.

"Hats off to Chelmsford because they’re a good side," Blackman said.

"They were relentless, they never took their foot off the pedal and that’s a massive learning curve for us.

"They were on a different level to us but it still doesn’t mean we should be making the same mistakes.

"Our heads drop, we’re a team lacking character and we go missing at times. We’re a soft touch and that’s unacceptable."

Ramsgate, who lost 1-0 at Ashford last Tuesday, return to league action against Thamesmead on Saturday. The game is being played at Dartford’s Princes Park where Mead are groundsharing this season.