Wealdstone's 11-match unbeaten run was ended emphatically as Eastbourne Borough romped to a 5-1 win in East Sussex on Saturday.

The nails were all but in the Stones' promotion coffin as early as mid-January before two months of title-quality form, and 25 points from that purple patch, had given them the slimmest of hopes.

But a 12-point gap to the top five, while mathematically possible to bridge, would require such an unlikely set of results across the promotion contenders in the final five games that Gordon Bartlett can now safely begin planning for next season.

Their afternoon on the south coast began unravelling six minutes in when Jonathan North parried a shot straight into the path of Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, brother of Arsenal's Alex, who tapped home.

He doubled his money before the half-hour when racing onto a loose ball from Sam Cox and finishing confidently.

But if that was composed, it was nothing on the third. Jamie Taylor spotted North off his line from 30 yards out and lobbed the former Welsh youth goalkeeper from range to settle the game well before half-time.

Dan Fitchett gave them a glimmer of hope just before the interval with his first Stones goal, nodding home after good work from Eddie Oshodi on the right.

The next goal would be crucial, and it almost came Wealdstone's way when first Joe White had an effort cleared off the line, before Aryan Tajbakhsh struck the bar with a 25-yard free-kick.

Their hopes of an unlikely comeback were dashed when Taylor completed a brace with a goal manager Gordon Bartlett will not want to watch back.

A long free-kick was pumped into the box and Ian Simpemba headed across goal, allowing Taylor to slot in from close-range.

There was a moment of deja vu when Oshodi again had a shot cleared off the line moments later and Danny Green struck the bar from another free-kick, as even with a three-goal deficit the Stones refused to go down without a fight.

But a fifth would follow for the hosts through Kieron Khinda-John on the hour mark when he headed home Gavin McCallum's cross.

Wealdstone: North; Oshodi, Hamblin (Wright 66), Brown, Sellers; Green, Tajbakhsh (Whichelow 66), Cox, Wellard; White (Benyon 80), Fitchett.

Not used: Godfrey, Mavila.