MARK Collier hopes Saturday’s mauling in Norfolk is a gentle reminder to his Chippenham Town side of the dangers always lurking around the corner in the Southern League Premier Division.

The Bluebirds’ unbeaten away league record was emphatically ended at King’s Lynn Town as the Linnets stormed to a 4-0 success to condemn Collier’s men to only their second defeat of the season.

Chippenham dropped to fourth in the table as a result of the collective off-day and Collier refused to use his side’s plethora of long away trips – they have also been to Cambridgeshire three times in the opening month of the season – as an excuse.

Debutant Kurtis Revan gave King’s Lynn the lead with a long-range strike just before the half-hour mark before Matt Smith missed a chance to level for the visitors.

But the game got away from Collier’s men after the break as Linnets’ skipper San Gaughran netted the second just before the hour and then Jacek Zielonka intercepted a pass from Chippenham keeper Kent Kauppinen to slide home the third.

Michael Clunan curled home the fourth to compound the visitors’ misery although Lynn’s Lee Stevenson suffered a serious-looking injury in the build-up and was stretchered off.

Collier said: “It is a long trip and there is no denying that fact but we’re not using that as an excuse.

“King’s Lynn were the better side from the first minute and we lacked a bit of spark, which was disappointing.

“I know we’re not going to win every game and I don’t expect us to win games when we play like that. Overall, we made too many individual mistakes.

“We’re a pretty resilient group and we know that we have under-performed.

“I know it’s a tough one to take, but we are going to have days like that in this league. Teams near the bottom are well capable of beating teams near the top and what we did to Poole (in the FA Cup last week), King’s Lynn did to us this time.’’

The Bluebirds have the chance to get back to winning ways with a midweek trip to Dorchester on Tuesday and with the FA Cup third qualifying round at Billericay next weekend, followed by a league appointment at Kettering, the road trips just keep coming for the Hardenhuish Park men.

“We’re probably going to be sick of the sight of the bus,’’ joked Collier.

“But we’re fourth in the league, which isn’t the worst start in the world and there is still all to play for.

“We’re not even a third of the way through the season yet and (Saturday) was just a little reminder of what can happen if we are not where we want to be.’’

Striker Dave Pratt will return for Tuesday’s trip south, although Nuno Felix (ankle) and Alex Ferguson (head) did suffer knocks against King’s Lynn.

Connor McCormack and Michael Pook are still a week away from their returns.