Torquay United manager Jimmy Ball hit out at his players after their 1-0 loss at AFC Totton in National League South.

The defeat - in which Torquay were reduced to 10 men when Jake Wannell was sent off early in the second half - saw the Gulls slip to 15th place in the table.

They are six points off the play-off places and 11 behind leaders Ebbsfleet United, having won just won of their last six matches in all competitions - although they did draw 1-1 with then league leaders Maidstone United on Saturday.

"The whole performance was nowhere near good enough," Ball told BBC Radio Devon.

"The players have just been told so in no uncertain terms and it brings pressure.

"I knew there was pressure at this football club before they approached me and I decided to take that offer.

"I knew that there was going to be massive pressure and so there is because the Jekyll and Hyde performances can't continue."

'Petulant' Wannell 'let his team down'

Torquay goalkeeper Toby Savin made a number of good saves as the two sides went into the break goalless.

But Totton went ahead two minutes after the restart as Luke Hallett converted from close range.

It got worse for Torquay soon after when Wannell was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Reece Fleet.

Deon Moore had an equaliser disallowed midway through the second half after a push on Hallett and then forced a good save from Totton goalkeeper Ryan Gosney with 15 minutes left.

Totton had a number of chances to increase the lead, but Savin was equal to them as the Gulls tried in vain for an equaliser.

It left Ball, whose side have won four and lost four of their 13 league games, angry with Wannell over his dismissal.

"It's a shocking decision from him," said Ball, who returned to former club Totton for the first time since leaving to take charge of Torquay in March.

"He's the captain, he's a leader. He's petulant, he was childlike and he's let his team down again for the second time with a red card and it's not acceptable.

"There were loads of niggly fouls that we didn't get tonight, but you've got to keep your head.

"You're at a tough place to come and you're petulant, you're a child about it, you've got to be a man about it, and he wasn't, he let his teammates down today and he let the fans down today."