Birmingham City Ladies manager David Parker has apologised for his side’s disappointing performance in Sunday’s 5-0 home defeat to Bristol Academy in the Continental Cup.

The Blues are currently top of the Women’s Super League, three points clear of second-placed Chelsea, but Parker was upset at the manner of the defeat which sent them crashing out at the group stages of the cup despite winning the tournament last season.

“I think it was a disgrace and I just want to apologise to all the fans and everybody that came and supported us,” said Parker.

“We didn’t show that dedication, passion and desire to play for the badge but we’ve now got a big game on Wednesday in the league and we want to win that.

“We were out of the Continental Cup before we started on Sunday. Bristol have won 5-0 today and it’s meant absolutely nothing. Having said that we’ve got the best squad in this league and we haven’t really shown that today. It should never have been a 5-0.”

The two sides meet again tomorrow night in the league, with the Blues getting a chance to exact revenge as well as continue to set the pace at the top.

“Every game is huge now,” he continued. “The league is in our own hands and we want it and we want it bad.”