Bashley manager Steve Riley looks set to wield the axe after accusing some of his players of lacking the “mental toughness” for a Southern Premier play-off push.

The Bashley boss appears to have run out of patience following Saturday’s 4-0 thumping at Banbury United.

Riley conducted a lengthy post-match team-talk on the pitch after Bashley’s winless league run had been extended to four matches – a sequence that has seen the struggling New Forest outfit concede no fewer than 12 goals.

Having gone in level at the interval, Bash saw the Puritans run riot after the break through Josh Cole, Glenn Walker, Ben Polk and Aaron Woodley.

Ahead of the trip to north Oxfordshire, Riley had called on his men to stop letting in soft goals.

But they failed to take his advice and also failed to find the net themselves, and now Riley is actively looking to bring in fresh faces.

He told the Daily Echo: “We talked about gifting goals and it was the same story. For me, we weren’t tough enough mentally or ruthless enough from a defensive point of view. You are never going to win games if you haven’t got that.

“The body language of some of the players was sad to see and I analyse games and have got to get things right.

“It is not fair on the fans and the people behind the scenes – and I am going to have to ring the changes.

“If you want to fight for a play-off spot, the past few games have proven that some of the players haven’t got the mental toughness. It is my job to make sure we have got that.

“I have got a bit of work to do and I am going to have to bring in some players.

“Some players are going to come in and some (will be) shifted out.

“I have got to do that if we are going to be where we want to be at the end of the season.”

Riley added: “I have turned things round before when we have had a dip.

“We have got a lot of games over the Christmas period |and if I have got to be harsh, I have got to change it and bring in some players.

“Unfortunately, that means some players are going to have to look at themselves. I think there will be a bit of disappointment this week.

“I have got an eye on players I would love to bring in and I would love to do that before next Saturday.”