TWO late goals from VCD Athletic consigned Ilford to a ninth league defeat of the season and marked the end of Chris Wood's spell as manager.

TWO late goals from VCD Athletic consigned Ilford to a ninth league defeat of the season and marked the end of Chris Wood's spell as manager.

The Foxes went into the game off the back of a creditable 1-1 draw at home to high-flying Thamesmead Town and began in a positive vein.

The Cricklefields players exhibited some of their most attractive football of the season against a side gunning for the playoffs, but were unable to turn their possession into shots on goal.

The turning point came on 34 minutes when Ilford's Senegalese goalkeeper Pape Diagne failed to gather possession of the ball in a goal-mouth scramble and allowed Leroy Hughes to poke home for the visitors.

The home side's performance went downhill from there and they found it difficult to create chances in the second half with the strikeforce of Troy Hewitt and Anton Dwyer struggling to impose themselves.

Athletic put the game beyond doubt in the final quarter of the contest when Lee Maskell capped a sizzling solo run with a powerful shot past Diagne.

Fellow sub Aaron Firth added a third late on to give the scoreline a more one-sided appearance than in reality.

"The performance on Saturday typified our season," said Wood.

"They were excellent in the first half and we played some great football. I told them at half time to keep going and doing the same things, but they changed the way they played. It's a mentality thing."

Wood has been replaced by his former assistants Colin Walton and Michael Thompson, who will take charge of Saturday's trip to Heybridge Swifts.