Furious Crawley boss John Hollins has lost patience with his players and says he would like to get rid of most of them.

He pulled no punches after watching a dismal sixth defeat in seven league games at a windswept Canvey Island.

Reds were wretched and looked like a side staring down the relegation barrel.

Hollins reckons some members of his squad lack motivation because they pick up their money win, lose or draw.

He has released two players - Kim Grant and Dorryl Proffitt - during the last two weeks and sent others on loan to make way for new faces.

And Hollins says he would like to ship more out the exit door following this awful performance but says his hands are tied because players are on contracts.

He fumed: "The fact is about 12 or 13 players have contracts and have a contract for next season. Every single one of them has a rise in their contract next year. Why?

"There were 16 players out there and everybody got appearance (money). Why?

"It makes it a nice feeling for them because they feel comfortable but we are in an uncomfortable position.

"I'm not comfortable, I've come here to help and to work. I am doing everything possible to make Crawley a team that not only stays in the Conference but are even stronger next season.

"I hope the players can see what I am doing but they don't seem to want to do it themselves.

"The reality check is that I brought in two players because I could get two players out. I would like to move out as many as I can but I can't."

Hollins also accused his side of failing to do what he has told them in training.

He added: "What is really disappointing is that the things we have worked on and talked about, like throw-ins, corners and set-pieces, they didn't take on board.

"I said to some supporters afterwards, we have worked them and trained them but it doesn't seem to click."

Not many players can complain about Hollins' brutally honest analysis because they are not producing.

They showed what they are capable of last Saturday when they destroyed Altrincham with a magnificent display.

So it makes it even more frustrating that the same team can fall so far below that yard-stick just seven days later.

They had the excuse in the first half of kicking into an almost gale-force wind but there was no explanation for an equally awful display after the break.

They struggled to pass the ball five yards at times and ran out of ideas going forward.

Reds created two clear chances in the whole game when Paul Armstrong had a 20-yard drive parried around a post by keeper Danny Potter and Daryl Clare headed over from five yards from a Tony Scully cross.

Canvey contributed to a dire game by playing almost as badly but took their opportunity when it came.

Defender Dominic Sterling was left unmarked to head into the bottom corner from a Jeff Minton cross seven minutes after the break.

At the final whistle, a Canvey supporter expressed his surprise at how poor Crawley were and said they looked doomed for the drop in earshot of a couple of Reds fans.

It was telling that none tried to argue with him as it seems the possibility of relegation sunk in long ago.

They have seen plenty of false dawns this season and the desperate performance proved that the Altrincham win was another. The only chink of light is that, despite their poor form, Crawley have not become marooned at the bottom.

The other relegation-threatened teams are also struggling and Reds remain just two points from safety.

Traditionally, this time of year is when part-time teams begin to find things even tougher. Reds can vouch for that after winning just one of their final 11 games last season.

All of Crawley's relegation rivals are part-time, except Scarborough, so theoretically Hollins' men should have enough to lift themselves above the dross.

Hollins does not want to have to rely on other teams doing badly but admits time is running out.

He said: "We now have 17 games and we need seven or eight wins. It is getting tighter and the pressure is showing."