While the hosts’ jubilant young ‘Barmy Army’ fans took off their shirts and whirled them around their heads despite our bleak midwinter, as their side took Lingfield to task, there was plenty of promise shown by the visitors’ talented prospects, mirroring Crowborough’s own youthful approach in recent seasons.

Goalkeeper Scott Millar, midfielder Harry Boultwood, in particular, and Sammy Clements acquitted themselves well and will gain invaluable experience as they continue to be played by boss Dixie Dean this season.

Admittedly, plucking positives from the wreckage of such an emphatic reverse was a tricky task, but the visitors’ heads never went down to their credit in the second half when they more than held their own, despite being unable to score crucially however despite enough promising build-ups.

Crows duly avenged their 3-2 league defeat on October 1 in a game played at Whyteleafe’s Church Road ground following floodlight concerns for Lingers and this was a dream debut return last weekend for two-goal striker Gavin Gordon amid a flurry of well-taken goals by the rampant hosts.

With Crowborough having worked wonders to get the game played, despite the recent flooding, the deadlock was broken after only 10 minutes when Chris Ransome gave Millar no chance with his close range header from Michael Death’s pinpoint cross from the left.

Lingfield, for whom experienced Dean Carden impressed at right back, were left cursing their luck seven minutes later when centre-back Jay Kalama was denied a spectacular equaliser unluckily when his audacious 40 yard piledriver rebounded to safety off the crossbar.

Confident Crows capitalised on their lucky let-off by making it 2-0 on 41 minutes, ensuring a comfortable interval lead, as Gordon opened his account by rounding Millar and slotting home from 16 yards.

Worse was to follow after 55 minutes when influential captain and midfielder Jason Barton powered home a far post header following Scott Taylor’s deep free-kick which caught out the visitors’ vulnerable defence again.

Gordon’s comeback was completed with his brace after 62 minutes, shooting home at the far post following another astute through ball from danger man Death.

After 72 minutes Richard Wetton set up Joel O’Hara who nearly reduced the arrears at the near post, but the plucky visitors continued to be frustrated by their slick hosts who romped home comfortably. But all was not lost entirely for Lingers whose blossoming youngsters, trying their utmost to the bitter end, should learn much from this latest setback against more polished and organised opponents.