St Stephens Borough manager Clive Hodge admitted he was stunned after being told that he had been sacked by the East Cornwall Premier Lea-gue club's committee – and that John Busher would be taking on the role.

Said Hodge: 'I am angry, disgusted and baffled; I feel the club is being influenced by one person, who wants his own way.'

Before Saturday's home defeat at the hands of St Dennis, the Borough were in seventh place, having won four of their previous five matches as well as narrowly going down to Perranporth in the Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup.

Hodge had previously stood down as manager of Liskeard Athletic's reserve team, and resurfaced a year later when the Borough invited him to take over there. Hodge appointed John Busher as his assistant.

Later, Hodge recruited Mark Down, from Saltash United, as his number two.

Busher and chairman Phil Bennett had taken the Borough from Division One into the Premier League – and it was down to Hodge to push the team on, which he has done admirably.

The decision to remove Hodge was made at the committee's monthly meeting – which Hodge was unable to attend due to work commitments – and he was only told of the decision when he made a visit to the chairman two days later.

Hodge continued: 'I had no idea this was coming.

'I have had telephone calls and texts from nearly all the players offering their surprise and annoyance at my departure and, like I said, I am angry'.

Bennett admitted: 'It was a shame to sack a manager when he hasn't done anything wrong, but I was out-voted.'

Full details in this week's Cornish Times.