As bad days at the office go this was one of the worst, as St Albans City lost a couple of managers, had their one current international sent off and, just for good measure, were hammered 4-0 by Lowestoft Town in the final Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy.

Once the final whistle had brought to an end City’s heaviest Trophy defeat for six years managers Jimmy Gray and Graham Golds informed the players that they had resigned and then confirmed the news to City chairman Nick Archer.

A poor league position and four defeats in five games, during which time 16 goals had been conceded with just four scored, persuaded the former City Youth managers that their time at Clarence Park was up.

The future of coaches Harry Wheeler and Mark Boyce, and that of goalkeeping coach Rhys Tom will, probably, be decided by the next incumbent. But Wheeler has been placed in charged for Tuesday’s Herts Senior Cup tie away to Oxhey Jets.

The impending disaster was not evident in the first minute when City should, at the least, have forced a save out of Town keeper Ben Killip but, following good work down the right flank by Kevin Krans, Jack Green and Jernade Meade both declined to risk trying a shot.

Another good run ended with the one-time Bristol City player Krans seeing his low cross parried by Killip before being kicked clear by the keeper as he sat on the ground.

The rest of the half contained little to excite the crowd and one sensed that Lowestoft would have been content at going in at half time on level terms, having played into an increasingly strong wind during the half.

But, in added time, Ady Gallagher’s side took a surprise lead and a chapter in City’s history was coming to an end.

City right back Benn Nunn was booked for a foul on Town substitute Shaun Bammant right on the edge of the penalty area and close to the goalline.

Nunn, however, looked to be innocent and if Bammant was caught by anyone, something that is debateable, then Comley may have been the culprit.

Once the arguments had died down the outstanding Danny Crow floated the free kick to beyond the far post, where an unmarked Rossi Jarvis head the ball to the edge of the six-yard box for the equally unattended Reed to head downwards and through the legs of Martin for the opening goal.

Seven seconds after the restart the half time whistle blew.

Any thoughts of City striking back early in the second half were shattered after just four minutes when they went down to ten men.

A long ball by Martin was intercepted by Jack Ainsley and knocked long down the Trawlerboys right by Harry Barker and then Crow whose touch sent Reed clear of Comley.

With just Joe Welch to beat, Reed was tugged back by Comley who was immediately shown a red card by referee Lloyd Wood.

Town defender Ainsley despatched the resulting penalty to Welch’s left to open his account for the season and double Lowestoft’s lead.

By now the spotlight was shifting towards the away dug-out where the future of the management duo was becoming the centre of intense speculation.

Reed squandered a good chance to add to City’s problems when miscuing in front of goal following a perfect low cos by Bammant.

St Albans went close to hauling their way back into contention on 59 minutes when the debut-making left-back Tom Bender – on loan from Forest Green Rovers - sent an excellent cross towards Louie Theophanous whose glancing header struck Killip’s left hand upright.

Harry Crawford looked nicely placed to strike home the rebound but, instead, extended his poor goal-scoring record by slashing his shot wildly out of Crown Meadow and into Love Road.

Midfielder Sam Corcoran seized upon a miskick by Killip but after neatly side-stepping his way past Jarvis saw his shot from around 35-yards drift wide of the target.

City’s ten-men continued to search for a way back into the game and Krans forced Killip to dive full length to his right to keep out a low drive.

Lowestoft put an end to City’s brief spell of attacking resistance with a sublime third goal.

For a while the ball pinged back and forth between the two sides until Welch, on 73 minutes, darted from his penalty area only to put a poor kick to Crow.

Standing some 35-yards out, Crow needed just one touch before his second, with his right foot, sent an almost nonchalant, though nonetheless brilliant, chip over the stranded keeper and into the back of the net.

Crow’s goal added to the one he also scored against City in the FA Cup whilst with Luton Town five years ago.

St Albans could still have reduced the arrears but Norwich loanee Killip was determined to keep his first clean sheet on home soil.

A slip by Ainsley, following a clever flick by Theophanous, allowed Crawford to break free but Killip took the ball from the feet of the striker as he attempted to go wide of him, and the young keeper then dived bravely at the feet of Theophanous to pull off a fine block.

Lowestoft secured their biggest win of the season four minutes from time with another well-worked effort.

Adam Smith headed a clearance to Crow in the middle of the City half. After holding off a challenge from Corcoran, Crow twisted and clipped a precise pass into the path of Chris Henderson.

The Trawlerboys substitute raced clear of a fast evaporating City defence before sliding a pass wide of the advancing Welch for fellow sub Bradley Woods-Garness to notch his first goal of the season.

Woods-Garness ought to have added to City’s humiliation but just failed to reach a lob over Welch by the elusive Crow.

At the final whistle Gray shook hands with his opposite number in the Lowestoft dug-out and an era had come to an end.

City are back in cup action on Tuesday with a Herts Senior Cup tie away to Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side Oxhey Jets. Kick off at Altham Way, South Oxhey, is at 7.30pm.

Saints captain Lee Chappell is in line for a recall after sitting out a one-match ban on Saturday.

Lowestoft Town: B.Killip, H.Barker, A.Smith, A.Fisk (S.Bammant 25), J.Ainsley, M.Spillane, D.Mason (C.Henderson 61), R.Jarvis, J.Reed (B.Woods-Garness 74), D.Crown H.Hodd, unused subs; R.Eagle, J.Jessup.

Booked: Barker, Killip.

St Albans City: J.Welch, B.Nunn, T.Bender, Sc Thomas, J.Comley, B.Martin, K.Krans, S.Corcoran, L.Theophanous, J.Green (G.Montgomery 64), J.Meade (H.Crawford 55), unused subs; B.Gibson, G.Sow.

Booked: Corcoran, Nunn.

Dismissed: Comley.

Goals: 45 1-0 Reed, 49 2-0 Ainsley (p), 73 3-0 Crow, 86 4-0 Woods-Garness.

Referee: Lloyd Wood (Romford).

Att: 420.