IT is tradition that newly appointed managers get a honeymoon period, with results picking up in the short term after they take the reins.

That was not to be for Radcliffe Borough’s Joe Gibbons, who was officially promoted from temporary to permanent boss on Thursday and then guided his side to a 5-1 defeat at home to Prescot Cables on Saturday.

The manager is already planning major changes to the team over the summer after claiming only a handful of his players tried in what was Boro’s final game of the Evo-Stik First Division North season. It was a damning indictment of a side that slipped to one place above the relegation zone following the result.

Chris Almond latched on to a through ball to open the scoring for the visitors in the 18th minute. But Elliot Rokka and Luke Moran missed chances to equalise before the break.

Heads dropped, though, after Jordan Wynne doubled Prescot’s advantage three minutes into the second half.

Andy Scamsbrick added another before Lewis Reilly pulled a goal back for Boro from the penalty spot.

But the joy was short-lived as Wynne and Joe Herbert added two more for the visitors late in the game.