BOSS Frank Gray insists Bashley have an advantage over their relegation rivals after last night’s 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Redditch United.

The result maintained Bashley’s six-point cushion over the bottom two in the Southern Premier, but it could have been better had Bash taken their chances at the Valley Stadium.

Gary Middleton’s goalbound header was deflected wide by team-mate James Stokoe in the first half before Charlie Knight and Stokoe failed to pull the trigger when clean through on goal after the break.

Redditch keeper Dan Platt also produced spectacular saves from Ian Oliver and George Colson in a man-of-the-match display which denied Bash a third successive victory.

Manager Gray told the Daily Echo: “There are a lot of teams still down there but I would rather be in our position, not just in the league table but in terms of form.

“Some of the others, like Frome, Chippenham and Hitchin, have found positive results harder to come by recently and we have to take confidence from our performance levels and the clean sheets we have kept.”

On the match, Gray added: “We certainly created the better chances. The lads were disappointed not to have scored but you have to give credit to their keeper – he had an excellent game.”

Bash: Moore, Strickland, Oliver, Finlay (Hill, 85), Middleton, Richardson, Casey, Colson, Stokoe (Gradwell, 87), Gamble, Knight. Unused subs: Jenkinson, Foster, Kearn (g/k).

  • Manager Steve Cuss slammed Wimborne Town’s defending and lack of clinical finishing following their 3-0 loss at Evesham United.

Two goals from Luke Downing and one from Will Gayton saw the hosts claim the points in Division One South & West.

Cuss told Magpies’ website: “We need to be more ruthless in the penalty box. We had the chances to score and didn’t take them. We dominated possession but the lost the game through poor defending.”

Magpies: Harvell, Arnold, Cole, Maybury, Peprah-Annan, Blake, Hubbard, Sainsbury, Webb, Smith (Jeffes, 70), Kemble. Unused subs: Costello, Roast.

  •   Ten-man New Milton Town wasted a 2-0 lead as they slipped to a 4-3 defeat against fellow Wessex Premier strugglers Hayling United.

Linnets had looked on course for victory at Fawcett’s Field after long-range strikes from Taz Roberts and Tommy Donaldson in the opening period.

But after conceding early in the second half, Milton had Roberts controversially sent off.

Although Callum Holloway restored their two-goal cushion, the hosts faded as Hayling staged a late fightback.

Player-boss Darren Curtis said: “It was frustrating because the lads put in a lot of hard work.”

Linnets: Hookway, Proctor, De’ath (Thomson, 80), Curtis, Embree, Sampays, Egerton, Barge, Roberts, Donaldson (Whitcher, h-t), Holloway. Unused subs: Booker, Blackburn.