Bashley new boy Tom Hill admits he is enjoying life under the tutelage of Steve Riley as he attempts to put behind him the disappointment of his Dean Court release.

The midfielder marked his 19th birthday with a goal on Saturday but Chippenham Town proved to be the party poopers at the Recreation Ground.

Former Cherries trainee Hill found the net for the second consecutive match but his celebrations were spoiled by gatecrashers Chippenham, who ran riot with three goals in 10 second-half minutes to complete a resounding 4-1 victory.

Luke Gullick opened the scoring for the visitors, who are unbeaten in the Southern Premier this term, and hit a second after both Lewis Powell and Alan Griffin had beaten David Elm.

Hill, who spent 10 years with Cherries, admitted he would have swapped getting on the scoresheet for a positive result.

Having also been on target in the thumping 4-1 Bank Holiday victory at Weymouth, the Lymington lad was disappointed Bash could not build on their first win of the league campaign.

He told the Echo: “For me, personally, it was lovely to get a goal, but I’d have taken three points instead any day.

“We want to be pushing on and putting a run of results together. It was a shame.”

Hill, who was let go by Cherries at the end of last season, admitted leaving Dean Court was “very disappointing”, but insisted he was enjoying his time in the New Forest.

He said: “I got released at the end of my two-year scholarship, which was a shame. I’d been there since I was eight, so I was there for quite a long time. It wasn’t to be.

“I managed to get in at Bashley and felt I had a good pre-season and have been lucky enough to start the games.

“I want to help the team as much as I can.”

He added: “I’ve settled in well. We have got a lot of new lads and we have all been made to feel really welcome.

“Steve’s coaching sessions are really good and, in games, he gives you so much confidence to play and he tries to let you express yourself.

“The luck has been against us and it’s been hard, but we have got a good bunch of lads, so I think that will hold us in good stead.”

Bash: Elm, Smith, Oliver, Middleton, Whitley, Knowles, Hill, P Roberts (Murray, 75), Maxwell (T Roberts, 41), Gamble, Ferrett (Mitchell, 68). Unused subs: Byrne, Prodomo.