evesham united 1 v 2 bashley

---

AS the legendary Kenneth Wolstenholme said so memorably in his 1966 World Cup final commentary… “Some people are on the pitch - they think it’s all over… it is now!” And for Bashley, the 2024/25 season really is all over now - but what a way to finish!!

A well-deserved win, away to a team which could, if things had gone their way, been promoted as champions on the day, is exactly the sort of send-off to have the Bashley faithful wishing the season had a few more weeks to run - or that next season was starting next week!

When Steve Lewis and his new ownership team moved into the hot seat at Bashley last summer, they mapped out targets for the season - with a reality check alongside them.

Prime target, of course, to win the league. Reality check… probably out of the question in a re-build season. Play-offs? Reality check… would be great to achieve, but probably a tall order.

Top ten finish? Probably the first “realistic” target. However, as the season wore on in roller-coaster fashion Bash drifted down from an early-season place in the top five to mid-table, with promotion - and even a top ten finish - becoming more of a remote possibility.

And with relegation also out of the question, Chairman Steve then set a target of beating last season’s 15th place finish. And with this spectacular final effort that was achieved - The Bash have finished 14th!

That said, only goal difference and a couple of points kept us out of the top ten - and if the team can carry on next season where they left off this one, then some of those higher targets will definitely come into play.

Since that irritating, and slightly unlucky, loss to Cinderford at the end of March, and the luckless demise at Malvern, results have been, by and large, excellent. A draw away to promotion-chasing Mousehole, a ten-man defeat of both Cribbs and high-flying Bemerton, and now this superb win which left Evesham to scrap it out in the play-offs.

Two weeks ago, Evesham were top of the table and dreaming of automatic promotion. Then they lost at Bishops Cleeve - but  even here they could still have gone up without the play-offs if they could beat The Bash and if Yate lost against Didcot. 

It’s always fascinating to follow the fortunes of those in key positions, top end and bottom end in the table as the time ticks by on the final day.

And when time ticked to just the 10th minute here, the bumper 525 crowd dared to dream when Levi Steele gave Evesham the lead - because at Yate, an even more bumper crowd of 1,514 were clicking nervously through the Southern League Vidiprinter with their team scoreless against decent opposition.

Evesham’s goal had a tinge of good fortune. Their own X video replay showed Levi Steele a couple of yards offside when livewire Will Owens played the ball in to him from the left wing, Steele turning to beat Mack Allan with a low shot from six yards.

Then the promotion race took a twist. Down at Yate, Joe Guest had put them ahead against Didcot - and moments later Bash had levelled it at Evesham. Brett Williams, playing again in defence, had ventured upfield and was brought down in the penalty area. Lewis Ross produced a text-book spot kick - keeper diving to the right, ball going to his left.

It almost got better still when Scott Bungay found room for a shot which was cleared off the line - frustrating for the young striker, because he had been “due a goal” for several weeks as his luck ran dry.

Later in the half the Lino who didn’t spot the problem on the Evesham goal, despite being well placed, did not make the same mistake again when Steele again had the ball in the net from a couple of yards offside. This time the flag went up.

Mack Allan, perhaps playing his last game for Bash as he forges on in his career with AFC Bournemouth, then made a terrific flying tip-over save from André Wright’s header.

With Yate still leading, Evesham knew they had no real margin for error now - but an error there was four minutes into first half stoppage time, keeper Alex Harris spilling the ball, and Scott Bungay reacting quickest to tap it in. Scottie had got that elusive goal!

Into the second half - no change at Yate, and, crucially, no change either at Evesham. The game turned scrappy as Bash took an iron grip which denied the home side much of a sniff at goal.

In fact it was almost more decisive in the end, Bungay, with a new spring in his step, tried a cheeky 35-yarder which dipped wide, then he was through one on one with the keeper but this time Harris got the better of things and cleared the danger.

There was time for one last Evesham flurry with Steele breaking through again, but Mack was equal to it, and. Bash just ran down the clock in confident style.

Chairman Steve Lewis summed up the final day like this: "I could say we pulled off a shock away win - but the way we've been playing recently, and how we played today, it’s not actually a surprise. Excellent performance, excellent result.”

He added: “Big thanks to our fans, so loyal at home, and so many who have travelled hundreds of miles to support us away in this widespread division. UP THE BASH!!!”

So that’s that for this season. Bashley's record:

P42  W14  D13  L15  F54  A66  Pts 55 Pos 14th.

And the final Southern League Division One (South) roll call… CHAMPIONS: Yate; PLAY-OFF SEMIS: Evesham v Exmouth, Bishops Cleeve v Malvern; RELEGATED: Helston, Thatcham, Cribbs, Cinderford.

AFTER a season where reality hasn't quite matched aspiration, Bashley ended their home schedule on a pleasing and promising high. If they can replicate this level of performance, then chairman Steve Lewis’s aim for a promotion challenge next time around might well be realistic.

Bemerton came full of confidence, seeking - perhaps expecting - a win to climb the one place they needed to into the play-offs. They left knowing they will probably be back at The Bash again next season, beaten here probably more comfortably than the scoreline suggests.

Of course, being The Bash, the home side found that Lady Luck couldn’t even make a belated appearance at the Veho Community Stadium, and they had to win it the hard way - again - with just the ten men for the last 20 minutes.

This time the man who saw red was Connor Dunesby-Bent, the third straight game where Bash have had a player sent off and the umpteenth time this season. Some of those red cards may have been hard to argue about. This one, with due respect to referee Oscar Whiting’s judgement was, let’s just say, surprising.

Connor was not alone in being amazed to be booked in the first half for his part in a challenge where most thought the free kick would be in his favour. He then collected another yellow, plus the dreaded red, in what looked at worst, a 50-50 challenge where the free kick, in Bash eyes, again could have gone either way.

But it’s the ref whose view counts, not those on the touchline, so the ten-man play-book had to come out yet again.

And it worked so well that Bemerton’s obvious need for a late cavalry charge just didn’t materialise - even with ex-Bash players Olly Balmer and Frankie Monk adding spice to the occasion.

Another ex-Bash man, Joe Smith, who was distinctly unlucky not to get the chance of remaining at Bashley in 2023/24 after a hot spell in the U23’s, had already departed the scene, subbed off. In the earlier match at Bemerton he was sent off, so his hopes of showing Bash fans what they missed, did not materialise.

Bashley went in again with a five-man back line - with the middle three of that, blokes you’d be brave to argue with on a football pitch. Steve Walker, Mitch Speechley-Price and Brett Wiliams are formidable competitors.

Brett, who is nominally a striker by trade, played in goal at Melksham on Saturday and was in the back line here. His heading ability and reading of the game there is a bonus.

Mitch is an all-rounder who can play anywhere on the pitch - he’s just pleased to be out there somewhere, buzzing with infectious enthusiasm. Bit of a handful up front or in midfield, but dynamite in defence as he has proved consistently in recent weeks.

And then there’s Walks. Only the brave argue with him on the pitch - and you probably wouldn’t argue with him off it either! His determination and overwhelming desire to win sometimes leads him into places he shouldn’t go, but great defender and motivational leader he most definitely is.

Not only in defence, either. It was Walks who broke the ice here after 20 minutes of cat and mouse tentative play by both sides. One of Mitch’s specialist long throws was only half-cleared by the Bemerton defence. It was chipped back into the mixer and Walks rose highest. There was an agonising wait, almost in slow motion, while his header nudged the post and bounced in.

Fair to say it was uphill all the way for ambitious Bemerton after that. And skipper Steve almost had a second when he showed a rare bit of fancy footwork out wide on the left and blasted his shot across the face of goal and narrowly out the other side.

When Bemerton rallied towards half-time it was Balmer and Smith who went closest to an equaliser, Olly twice setting up Joe to test the returning Mack Allan for pretty much the only times in the afternoon.

Bash started the second half on the front foot. Scott Bungay, playing well, but overdue a goal recently, almost embarrassed keeper Ben Clark by charging down an over-casual clearance, then some brave defender stood in the way to block a blazing volley from Conor Whiteley.

A little flurry from Bemmy saw Mack make a fairly routine diving save from a Balmer free kick, and sub Ronan Clancy announced his arrival by firing one not too far wide after a left-wing run.

It might have been Easter Monday and almost-neighbours in town - well, village - but there was not too much local cameraderie when a fairly harmless-looking 50-50 coming-together sparked a mass shoving match between a dozen players.

The referee, not sure who to blame, called both captains together and peace returned - but not for long. Challenges were getting notably heftier as Bemmy saw time running out - although when Connor Bent, who is a clever ball-player rather than tiger-tackler, won a 50-50, his opponent went down with a shriek. Bingo - out came the yellow and a red card to follow.

He was warmly applauded off, which perhaps indicated that the crowd were not entirely in agreement with the decision.

So ten-yet-again, but the outcome was seldom in doubt. Bash took an iron grip on things and almost had another goal themselves when the fast-improving Jamie Power zipped in from the right and fired just off target.

Bemerton’s final indignity was a corner in the last of the six minutes added. With even their keeper up for it, the flag kick just sailed harmlessly straight over the bar and out for a goal-kick. Game-set-match to Bashley!

A couple of other things to fit the happy mood - chairman Steve Lewis presented the Fans’ Player of the Year prize to Lewis Ross - and injured hero Jordan Chiedozie messaged to say thanks for all the support he has received and that he is doing well under a prolonged regime of physiotherapy.

So just one game to go now, a trip on Saturday to Evesham. They started Easter Monday top of the table, but lost at Bishops Cleeve, while Yate recovered pole position with a 3-0 win at Bristol Manor. So it’s win or bust for Evesham, although it will be bust anyway if they don’t better Yate’s result.

By Mark Edmonds

INVITED to be the Bashley guest reporter today, I turned up at the impressive Oakfield Stadium, full of the usual optimism, though as always in such an unpredictable season, unsure which Bashley team would be on the field and what kind of performance we might get.

It was certainly going to be a tough match, with Melksham on a decent run and having an outside chance of the play-offs.

It was pleasing to see such a good turnout from the Bash fans. A sizeable contingent of us travelled to Melksham, which, although close to being a derby match given the ridiculous distances travelled in this league, was still a good 60 miles away.

So, with expectant fans, the sun shining and a decent range of beers in the excellent clubhouse, what could possibly go wrong?

Well for starters, the team sheet had a surprise look - with Brett still in goal after his clean-sheet half-match stand-in last week. Mack Allan, of course, was suspended for one match after his red card against Cribbs. Dave and Jack did all they could to recruit a replacement - not easy after the registration deadline - so Brett it was - and he did pretty well, but  in fairness, a specialist keeper he is not.

The rest of the team lined up pretty much as expected, with a welcome return for Dan Walster, who helped create a back five to begin the match. However, there was quickly trouble afoot. A mix-up in the Bash defence set up an opportunity for Melksham’s Henry Sady, who took it in clinical fashion.

The Bash nightmare start did not stop there - in fact it was just beginning. Within five minutes of the first goal, Lewis Waterfield got his marching orders for pulling back a player through on goal. That player looked to have been offside, but not according to the officials, and unlucky Lewis was off.

So, after fifteen minutes, Bash were now in what is quickly becoming familiar territory - we were down to ten men.

A tough fixture just got harder, and it only took two or three more minutes, for Haffenden to get the second with a well-struck shot from inside the box.

Dave and Jack switched us to a back four after thirty minutes, with Dan Walster the unlucky man to come off - being replaced by Conor Whiteley.

Unfortunately, we were still subject to constant raids in Bashley territory and five minutes short of half time, Sady scored his second goal. So the team trudged off 3-0 at half time, whilst the Bashley fans made a rather more rapid dash to the bar.

Mitch came on for the start of the second half, with Scott making way. Bashley were quickly at Melksham and denied an obvious corner after the first couple of minutes.

Mitch made his displeasure known and was perhaps fortunate to not get booked. However, we do seem to love a booking, and Jamie Arnold was soon seeing yellow, before a couple of further bookings, following a bizarre decision by the referee.

A clear foul on Lewis Ross, was somehow seen as a free-kick to Melksham. Lewis found his way into the book for arguing the decision, followed by Walks, arguing on Lewis’ behalf.

So, we were now 3-0 down, 3 bookings down, plus a sending off. Could matters - or our luck -  get any worse? Er, yes!

Bash had a rare foray into Melksham territory and Ross hit the bar with a good shot, which rebounded to Arnold who hit the post.

Mitch went to centre-back in a mini reshuffle. Walks was taken off - we were not quite sure whether he was injured or taken off to end the risk of a sending off, but, diplomatically, it was good to see Isaac Furse get some minutes. Likewise, towards the end, Sam Bradford getting some “experience” off the bench.

Then further embarrassment for the Bash as our usually affable kitman Bob Sullivan got a yellow for comments made to the referee. This was later turned to a red, with a second yellow card incoming for more arguing, this time for a Whiteley penalty claim. I gave the ref the edge on that one but one of Les Chase's pictures appears to show that Conor actually might have ben felled illegally.

Anyway, we still had time to let in a fourth from a tight angle – Dawid Regula scoring the goal and also picking up their man of the match award.

And that was that - it ended 4-0; the players clapped the fans; the fans clapped back… and we sloped off to the car park to reflect on the day.

THEY say every cloud has a silver lining - and that was certainly the case for The Bash, whose up-turn in form continued despite playing the last hour with ten men and a striker in goal!

After a frustrating first half-hour, punctuated by a series of great saves from Cribbs keeper Jack Witchard, his opposite number, Bashley’s Mack Allan, got the red card heave-ho for straying out of his area to bring down Cribbs attacker Spike Weaver.

Bashley, like many others, choose to play without a spare keeper on the bench, so the blue jersey was donned by veteran front man Brett Williams.

We never got to see how well Brett could manage the task, because the nine in front of him played so well that he did not have a save to make!

That was in contrast to Witchard at the other end who made two more great saves before being beaten by the best move of the match, Luke Holmes making a spectacular solo run to set up young Jamie Power for his first senior goal.

Holmes was one of two players returning from suspension, the other being skipper Steve Walker. 

There must have been a temptation to start with the same eleven which did so well at Mousehole in the previous game, but Walks is so influential that his inclusion was probably inevitable.

Likewise Luke Holmes, who went on to win the man of the match accolade as voted for by match sponsors club president Larry Cummins and the Camden Hurst Friends of The Bash.

Dan Walster, who has been something of an unsung hero all season, was the distinctly unlucky one to miss out at the back, while Conor Whitely’s unavailability left the space for Holmes.

Again, conditions were not ideal, with a pitch which looked fine, but was hard enough after two weeks of sunshine to make a lot of wayward bounces of the ball. 

Cribbs, in desperate trouble three from bottom in the table, were clearly hoping that a deep defensive operation might see them through to something by way of a point or points.

Nearly ten minutes had gone before Bash got a serious sight off goal - and they almost made the breakthrough. Tyler Edmondson, up for a corner sent in an effort which had goal written all over it - even the Bashley faithful in the stands were up ready to applaud.

However, keeper Witchard appeared from nowhere with a spectacular dive to his left to keep the ball out. Soon afterwards he was full stretch to his right this time to push away Lewis Waterfield’s goal bound sizzler.

Next came a huge scramble around the goal after Witchard pushed out Connor Bent’s close-range effort. Scott Bungay looked a good bet to get the loose ball but was harshly penalised for a foul and Cribbs got away with it.

Mack Allan had been a spectator at the other end, but suddenly it all went pear-shaped for him. A Bashley mix-up in the middle of their own half saw the ball run free perfectly into the path of Weaver.

The lad had “previous” against Bash, having scored the winner for Cribbs at their place earlier in the season. He raced clear, and it was probably 60-40 in his favour as Allan came sprinting out. The keeper's challenge was a split-second late and he clattered into Weaver.

It was a nailed-on red card - although Walks and other Bashley players tried to plead with ref Jake Wright that Mack had slipped as he approached the challenge.

Luckily it was outside the area, the free kick was cleared - and Bashley were seldom troubled again defensively.

Half-time gave the opportunity for a tactics talk and whatever was decided, worked perfectly. Brett was able to relax in the remains of the afternoon sunshine as his team piled forward in search of what might have seemed an unlikely winner.

However, the longer the half went, the more “unlikely” was turning into “likely”. It took a perfect tackle by Matt Spiller to stop Bungay from getting in a shot after a nifty run, then a clipped cross by Holmes saw Connor Bent’s header hit the crossbar and flick over. He was frustrated because it was a clear chance from close range.

There was the briefest of cameos for goalkeeper Brett as he raced out of goal to punch clear a ball that was likely to give David Duru a rare chance - then it was back to the other end where Waterfield got clear on the right but squared it when he might have taken the shot.

The pressure was steadily building and Holmes hit a 20-yard volley that even he might have applauded as keeper Witcher flung himself into its path to block it.

Having missed three games, however, Luke Holmes was in the mood. With seven minutes remaining he made a fabulous jinking run in from the right past three defenders and put the ball on a plate for Jamie Power to race in and smash hard and low into the bottom left corner of the net. 

After that it was “game management” time, safely negotiated without any semblance of a scare.

Not that there was ever any great danger of a relegation fight, but with three games to go, Bashley are now certain to be playing at this level again next season. The only task now is to achieve the best-possible mid-table finish.

Next up is a Saturday trip to Melksham, followed two days later by the Easter Monday home game against Bemerton, which should ensure one of the best gates of the season. The curtain comes down on the season away to Evesham the following Saturday.

IT’S not very often that you can put down a mere draw as one of the best performances of the season - but this one certainly qualified for that accolade.

Bashley, without a win in the previous six, straight from a home flop against the bottom team, and still without talisman skipper Steve Walker and midfield supremo Luke Holmes, plus Harvey Bertrand… away to Mousehole, slick, in-form, third-placed promotion-chasers.

Mousehole is atmospheric in every way. Not much bigger than Bashley as a village, with a super little stadium, vocal and loyal crowd, plus both the club, and the team, extremely well organised - and in a hot chase for promotion.

So there’s no doubt it was a tough ask for Bashley to get anything from this game - but from first minute to last, with maximum adrenalin across the whole team, they were equal to their strongly-fancied hosts.

There were even times in the second half when it looked as though Bash might pull off one of the shock results of the season.

At 0-0, with the clock ticking down to the last 10 minutes, home keeper Ollie Chenoweth made a huge save from Connor Dunesby-Bent.

That looked like a heart-breaker - and even more so with four minutes to go when a freak bounce in midfield set Hayden Turner free to fire Mousehole into what seemed a certain winning lead. 

However, after putting in so much sweat and a few tears, and despite a few players carrying injuries, Bash simply refused to lie down, and within two minutes had squared it to take a precious point.

“Precious” because despite a decent start to the season, the recent drift down-table led to pessimistic talk of a possible late flirtation with the relegation zone. 

Four teams go straight down this season, but you can now put your Grand National winnings on the fact Bashley will not be one of them.

Sure enough taking “only” one point from this game dropped Bash down from 12th to 15th in the table, but the nature of the performance, and the level of team spirit shown before, during and after the match means there is surely no danger of a drop in status.

Only Helston, of the bottom four, have any real mathematical chance of catching Bashley, and with four games remaining they are nine points behind, with a likely goal-difference deficit meaning they would have to win the lot while Bash went pointless. 

Obviously it won’t be completely over until the slightly overweight lady sings(!) but the Bash from Trungle Parc will not be going anywhere downwards.

It was a strange afternoon weatherise which contributed a lot to this being more of a scramble than a battle of fine skills. It was bright sunshine, but with a very chilly gale blowing end to end - and a pitch hardened and bumpy by recent similar weather.

Bash set up with an unashamedly defensive structure, making one key change from the Cinderford collapse, with Mitch Speechley-Price coming into the middle of what was essentially a back five, alongside Dan Walster and Tyler Edmondson in the middle with Jamie Power and Josh Bertie outside them.

In midfield, Lewis Waterfield had one of his best games of the season, alongside Lewis Ross, with Connor Bent and Conor Whiteley playing deep wing roles and Scott Bungay foraging up front. 

Bashley had the wind behind them in the first half, but as Mousehole were to discover later, that was no real advantage - an awful lot of forward passes were over-egged and ended up harmless.

There were very few chances at either end in the first 45, Each side had a decent penalty appeal turned down, but the wind was the master for most of the time.

Best chances of the half fell to Mousehole. Mack Allan got the slightest of fingertips to Hayden Turner’s pot-shot after the man they call locally “The Rifleman” pulled the trigger after cutting in from the right.

Turner was one man who eluded Bash more than any other, and moments before half-time it took a superbly-timed tackle by Mitch Speechley-Price to nick the ball off Turner’s toes.

Mitch has been a revelation in defence when he has played there in emergencies this season, and he was again leading by example here.

Immediately in the second half Bash thought they might have had a penalty when Bungay was brought down heavily - before the game settled into its previous pattern of alternate attacks, neither side really looking threatening.

Bash thought they were about to win it when Connor Bent popped up perfectly-placed on the end of a slick move - eight yards out, just the keeper to beat, but Chenoweth stuck out enough of a leg to deflect the shot away to safety.

Four minutes left, and Bash starting to pull up the drawbridge to preserve a point. However a freak bounce, and a possible foul on Lewis Ross 30 yards from goal, enabled Turner to go scooting through the middle unchallenged to steer his shot past the advancing Mack Allan.

Cue gnashing of Black and Gold teeth at apparently being “so near and yet so far” from a point. But wait! Here comes Conor Whiteley with probably his best goal of the season - and likely the most important. 

Picking the ball up left side of the penalty area, he skipped to his right past one challenge, two and a third before he had a clear sight of goal - and whacked it hard and low, right-footed from 20 yards to the keeper’s right.

Hands in the air and a worthy “goal roar” from the 20 or so Bash fans who had made the trip!

To a person they were delighted with the performance and the sheer effort and determination the whole team showed - hence the unanimous vote for “Bash Star Man” as in this occasion, the entire team.

Having turned on this display for the most utterly loyal of their fans, Bash now have a chance to put on an equally worthwhile show for a home crowd, against Cribbs in the next match at the Veho Community Stadium on Saturday.

BASHLEY should have won this at a canter, but ended up edged out disappointingly by the bottom team in the league.

A 3-1 scoreline looks like a comprehensive defeat, but hides the fact that Cinderford scored two ”worldy” goals in the last four minutes after clinging - admittedly very doggedly - to a giveaway 1-0 lead from the first few minutes.

All that Bash could muster was an added time strike at 3-0 down. If it had come ten minutes earlier, when the gap was only one, there’s every chance they could have gone on to nick the win they should have been capable of. 

Realistically, Cinderford, who have been bottom all season, are unlikely to  escape the relegation trapdoor, still 13 points from safety with only seven games remaining.

However, they went home happily to Gloucestershire with all three points in the bag, leaving Bashley just a little uneasy about the ever-shortening gap between themselves and the bottom four.

With five games remaining, Bash have eight points in hand - effectively nine with goal difference factored in, so they should be OK - but the last win was six games ago, and that is a concern.

Despite their significant recent improvement, Cinderford should really have been there for the taking - even though Bashley were still missing two key men in Steve Walker and Luke Holmes, both still out through suspension - as they will be next game at Mousehole.

One significant pre-game plus was the return in goal of Mack Allan, back from a spell at Basingstoke - however he was slightly complicit in the goal which set Cinderford on their way.

Just 14 minutes were on the clock when there was a momentary horror show in the Bashley penalty area. Two defenders were shepherding a long through-ball back to Mack when Cinderford’s Alex Bonthron somehow got between the lot of them to get a toe on the ball. He nudged it on to the exotically-named Jacxson Hundt, who rolled it into the empty net.

Cinderford were lifted by it, Bash stunned by it - and for ten minutes some serious embarrassment looked possible. Hundt was soon clean through again, luckily flagged offside, then Bonthron again, with a power-drive that Allan held at the second attempt.

It began to look embarrassing when Joe Keeping’s swerving corner caused goalmouth chaos and a massive appeal for a handball penalty. Luckily Mr Osofa was unsighted, because the appeal was pretty determined.

When Bash finally got into gear, Connor Bent did well to get free down the left and cross, but nobody was on the end of it. Brett Williams then took a frustrated-looking pop from 30 yards which was actually not far wide.

Young Jamie Power was doing some sterling work wide right, but when he finally looked as though he might pull the trigger, Josh Jones nicked it off his toe.

Scott Bungay, back in the starting line-up, had a quiet half, and his best effort lacked power after a very smart turn in the box past two defenders.

So work to do after the break, and Bash started a series of shape shuffles with Mitch Speechley-Price replacing Dan Walster - clearly a sensible precaution because Dan had twice fallen foul of lectures and a yellow from the ref. One more step out of turn would have been a certain red card. It’s Bashley, so of course it would have been a red card!!

It soon became pretty much a long procession towards the Cinderford goal, and gave keeper Lewis Adams his chance to earn the overall man of the match title.

Adams kept out a Lewis Ross rocket at the expense of a corner, then went brilliantly full-length to tip round a humdinger from Tyler Edmondson.

Bungay was next to be thwarted, Adams keeping out his goalbound shot, before a smart move between Williams and Harvey Bertrand ended with Cinderford defender Chris Bell hoiking the ball marginally over his own crossbar.

The procession to the Cinderford goalmouth went on. Jamie Power cut in from the right after linking with Bungay and let fly just too high.

However, with time running out, and Bash trying more substitutions and tactical switches, there was suddenly a warning that Cinderford might not be finished. Jake White found space for a pot-shot from the left which rattled the crossbar and luckily bounced down and out instead of down and in.

Things went briefly back to the other end where Power again cut in from the right and hit a fizzing grass-cutter which beat Adams but also beat the far post by a whisker.

Lewis Ross sent a dipper just too high, then Cinderford survived appeals for a penalty when Bungay was bundled over.

There was always the danger that Bashley’s increasingly heavy forward-motion might just leave dangerous daylight at the back - and so it proved, not once, but twice, to devastating effect.

With 86 minutes gone Bonthron lost his shadows wide left, cut in, and thumped a great effort hard and low past Mack at his near post.

Before Bash could respond, 2-0 became 3-0 - an absolute “worldy” of a strike, this time hard and high, by White. Without a cap, looking into a strong setting sun, Mack had no hope of keeping it out.

So just like that, from going hell-for-leather for an equaliser, Bash could only hope for at least one goal to save a bit of face. It came a minute into added time when Mitch sent Connor Bent clear and he finished with ease. 

Half an hour earlier that would have been very handy and would almost certainly have set up a Bashley win. As it was they almost grabbed a second in the closing moments when Bent narrowly lost out in a crucial 50-50 chase for the ball with keeper Adams.

So now it’s another re-grouping exercise before another tricky task away to Mousehole on Saturday - again without Walker and Holmes.

IT’S fair to say this was always going to be a tough task for Bashley, against a side in the hottest form in the promotion race.

And it’s definitely fair to say it was great deal tougher for Bash with a heavily-depleted team on an unfamiliar artificial pitch and after a journey of 130 miles up to the Midlands!

Malvern had won nine and draw one of their last ten matches, a form guide Bash could only dream about after so many misfortunes on and off the field in recent times.

And here they were with yet another unfamiliar line-up. No Steve Walker to skipper and gee-up the team; no Lewis Ross, vice-captain who leads the way so well when Walks is not there; no Luke Holmes to run the game from midfield; no Mitch Speechley-Price to add that fizz of sheer enthusiasm - and no Mack Allan or Charlie Philpott, in goal.

In a nutshell, this was very far from ideal, having to go head to head with a team in such a hot form streak as Malvern with a team not used to playing together.

That applied particularly to 18-year-old AFC Bournemouth rookie, Will Seeley, the goalkeeper who first met his new team-mates an hour or so before the game.

He came in because Mack Allan is still on loan at Basingstoke, and AFCB Development goalkeeper coach Charlie Philpott was unavailable.

And young Will soon had a taste of the hurly-burly of Southern League football. After an even first few minutes Malvern won the game’s first corner which was scrambled away after the keeper, under pressure, couldn’t get a clean clearance.

When Bash got going as an attacking force, young Jamie Power, filling one of the vacant midfield slots, led a breakaway which ended with a shot which kept home keeper Josh Bishop on his toes.

Power, who has been a star for Bashley Under-23s this season, was then involved in another smart build-up with Connor Bent, but the striker couldn’t make his finish count.

On 18 minutes it started to go pear-shaped. Malvern’s Joe Bullock cut in from the left and fired a shot which Seeley did well to parry -  but the ball rebounded perfectly for Bullock to slot it home. 

Bash responded with Conor Whiteley firing a shot which Bishop was happy to deflect away for a corner, the keeper then clearing the flag kick.

But soon Bishop was fishing the ball out of his net. With 27 minutes on the clock, skipper-for-the-day Brett Williams took advantage of a mix-up in the Malvern defence, and neatly clipped the ball over the keeper into the bottom left corner.

So 1-1 and not-so-bad after all, until… just four minutes later Willow gave away a free kick in a dangerous position. That was only half- cleared and when it bobbled around, Levi Francis was brought down by Conor Whiteley, who was booked.  

Now it’s fair to say that Bash do not consider they have had much rub of the green with referees this season and Mark Reilly became the latest to add his name to the list. Having looked as though he awarded the free kick on the edge of he area, he upped it to a penalty kick, which Jack Watts dispensed, sending young Seeley the wrong way.

After that “Grrrr” moment, Mr Reilly soon compounded his action by refusing to award Bash a penalty they thought they deserved when Whiteley was brought down heavily at the other end.

Bashley’s rookie keeper was still looking a tad nervous and spilled an effort from Matt McDonald, which was eventually scrambled away for a corner.

It would have been handy to have got to the break just one goal in arrears, but with four minutes remaining it stretched to 3-1. Bashley lost the ball in midfield, Harry Clark making a smart interception and sparking a quick counter-attack. The ball was played through to Lewis Spurrier, who slipped it under the advancing Seeley.

Even then there was time for Seeley to show his true ability, getting down well to keep out another effort from Spurrier after a linesman’s error had let the Malvern man through.

At 3-1 it was a harsh reflection of the effort Bash had put in, and they obviously needed a quick breakthrough in the second half to make a game of it.

That almost came several times. Jamie Power continued to show well, setting up Connor Bent, who couldn’t manage to get his shot on target. Whiteley then brought the best out of keeper Bishop, who had to dive left to keep out a goal-bound effort. 

The next goal remained crucial - and it was Malvern who got it. After 66 minutes a free kick wide left was headed down by Lewis Platt whose shot was cleared but only as far as the edge of the box where Spurrier hit something of a “worldy”  into the top corner.

Scott Bungay had joined the fray, and he livened Bashley’s attacking efforts. He featured in probably the best Bash move of the game in the closing minutes. Power set him up with a through-ball, Bungay squared it, and Williams did the rest.

So “4-2”, not ideal, unlucky at times, and considering the unfamiliar line-up, a not entirely unexpected outcome - and fairly respectable.

However - and so many times in this unpredictable season there has been a “however” on the end of things, there was still another setback in added time - a messy, horrible little goal. 

Joe Tumelty tried a shot which was blocked - and of course, straight to a Malvern foot, Ryan Brunt stabbing it home.

At least the next game is back at the Veho Stadium, with Cinderford the visitors this coming Saturday.

YOU win some… you lose some… and sometimes you draw… even when it had really looked like a potential cakewalk against a team which had lost 8-2 at home to the bottom club four days earlier.

The Bash started red-hot favourites to win this one - and even though they went down to ten men on yet another ridiculously-harsh red card after only 46 minutes, they still managed to go into the final ten minutes of normal time with a two-goal lead.

Then, for no apparent reason other than maybe a little bit of careless defending, it all went pear-shaped. Helston, who had not really threatened much at all, eeked out two goals from nothing situations, to steal a point.

It was frustrating to watch, especially when, as Bash went 2-0 up with time running out, it looked good enough to be game, set and match. 

Even when Helston sneaked one back there was confidence that despite only ten men, the home side could hang on. Er, no - in fact, alarmingly, they almost surrendered a third goal in the final seconds. 

Bashley went into the game again without influential skipper Steve Walker, finishing his suspension, but with a side certainly looking strong enough to see off opposition in the depths of a horror run.

Without warning Helston’s squad disintegrated two months ago, losing as many as eight of the players who had helped them start the season so well. When Bash went to Cornwall earlier in the season, Helston were third in the table and Bashley fourth.

Since then a lot has gone wrong for Helston, the loss of all those players leading to  a doom sequence which has included not only last week’s nightmare against Cinderford, but also a 9-0 loss to Bishops Cleeve.

In fact this was Helston’s first away point since January 21st - and they had taken only one point overall in their last nine games.

So you could excuse Bash at least some quiet confidence that this was a winnable game. Fair to say that the play-offs are out of reach now, but a top eight finish would be welcome, and certainly achievable.

It was quickly clear that Helston were determined to compensate, if they could, for that home nightmare four stays earlier, and it was ten minutes before Bash got anywhere near enough to force the game’s first corner.

It almost brought the first goal - Helston didn’t clear Lewis Ross’s flighted flag kick and it broke to Lewis Waterfield, whose effort brought a great reflex stop from keeper Andrew Sowden-Bird.

At the other end, Helston’s chunky little winger Will Tucker was proving a menace, his quick feet taking him past two challenges before, fortunately, he delayed his shot too long and it was a comfortable save for Charlie Philpott.

The Bash keeper was soon in action again, saving a worryingly free header by Callum O’Brien from Tucker’s teasing corner.

Most of the action was at the other end, however, and when Tyler Edmondson sent Harvey Bertrand away down the right, it brought a free kick which nearly provided the opener. Ross’s ball in sparked a scramble and when it broke to Conor Whiteley he drilled in a shot which Sowden-Bird did well to tip over the bar.

It was only a very quick reprieve for Helston, however. From the resulting corner, on the left, Lewis Ross sent one swirling into the goalmouth - catching the wind and sailing straight into the far top corner of the net. Did he mean it? Er, possibly. Ask Lewis and he would say “of course I did!”

Anyway 1-0, flood gates open! Or not, as the case may be. The best move of the half saw Bertie, Whiteley and Holmes combine, the move only ended with a flying headed clearance by O’Brien.

Then Whiteley was brought down a fraction outside the area. Free kick, central position, toss a coin between Ross or Bertie to take it. Josh, who scored a cracker from a similar position recently, this time whacked it straight into the wall.

The half ended with Philpott, who had been mainly a long-distance spectator, in unexpected action. First he had to go full stretch to keep out a swerver from Tucker, then a three-man move saw Ryan Smith crowded out before he could get a shot in from close range.

Halfway, and sort of an okay scoreline although a couple more goals in the bank would have been handy as insurance.

The need for such insurance immediately became obvious within a few seconds of action in the second half. Luke Holmes, great player, but hardly a tiger-tackler, went in for a 50-50 ball with burly centre-half O’Brien, who went down and stayed down as though he’d been hit by the 9.30 from Waterloo.

He made a decent recovery around the time that referee Adrian Harris harshly flashed the red card at Holmes, and appeared to be moving freely afterwards.

It handed an immediate advantage to Helston and certainly gave them new incentive to have a go.

There was a flurry of action around the Bashley goalmouth. Philpott had to look sharp to dive out and prevent a James Simmonds cross from causing a problem, then the keeper was on the ground again, diving left to make a very smart save from David Barker’s goalbound effort.

It was starting to look a bit iffy when Ryan Smith’s shot was deflected away for a corner. That resulted in a goal-kick which Mr Harris decided Philpott took too long over taking and flashed a yellow card.

To give things a shake-up Bash brought the lively Mitch Speechley-Price off the bench and almost immediately he was involved in what should have been a decisive second goal.

Mitch sent Connor Bent away on a mazy run which took him into the clear for a perfect strike as Sowden-Bird came out to meet him. It was the best move of the match and a very tidy finish.

Into the last ten minutes of normal time, still 2-0, and a sigh of relief from the Bash faithful when Simmonds got the ball in the net but was given offside.

It was only a very brief let-off. On 81 minutes a long throw into the goalmouth by Tucker was headed straight in by Craig Duff. 

Suddenly Bash found themselves in all sorts of trouble. Without playmaker Holmes, the ball was coming back too quickly from clearances, and sub Jordan Copp forced Philpott into a diving save.

The warning from that went unheeded and when Helston came again, in the fourth of five added minutes it was all-square. 

Copp’s free kick into a packed goalmouth was not cleared cleanly, and as it rattled around, any one of three Helston players could have scored - eventually it was Ollie Redd, who forced it over the line.

Even then Copp was granted another half-chance before the ref made his best decision of the half and sounded the final whistle.

It was a disappointing end to what should have been a comfortable afternoon, with some question marks about game management, which, as Bash have proved before, can still be effective, even with ten men.

There’s now a week to re-group for a much stiffer task - at least on paper - away to promotion contenders Malvern on Saturday. Teams with an artificial pitch always start with an advantage - as Bash found last season on the wrong end of a 6-0 scoreline at the HDAnywhere Stadium!

BASHLEY got the old “Cleeve-Ho” at Kayte Lane as the Mitres, easily the hottest form side in the division, eased another step closer to cementing their place in the end-of-season play-offs.

Against opposition which had lost only two of their previous 12 games, and conceded only eight goals in that time, this was always going to be a mountain to climb for Bash - especially with Mr Motivator, skipper Steve Walker, out through suspension.

Lewis Ross, who takes the armband when Walks is out, led by example as he always does, and Luke Holmes was again in good form alongside him in midfield - but Bash couldn’t make the best of a good share of play, and fell to three goals - all “at the wrong time.”

The goal pattern could not have worked better for the Mitres if they had planned it beforehand. How about an early goal? That always helps, so six minutes on the clock and it’s a “worldy” top-corner 30-yarder for the lead.

Another one just before half-time would be handy… so how about in the second minute of added time? Still need to snuff out opposition hopes of a revival, so let’s have another one early in the second half - then a nice gentle cruise home!

That’s how it panned out, and the main difference between the teams was finishing. Yes, all the goals were at exactly the wrong moments, but the fact is they went in while Bash couldn’t dent a mean defence at the other end.

Part of the problem all season has been lack of a settled side, and yet again it was a Bashley team which had not played together previously. 

Conor Whiteley returned from a fitness-related spell in the Wessex League, the back four had a new-look with recent recruit Logan Laird making his first start, and there was yet another new face on the bench, Karol Skoczen, a striker who played in Dave Lewis’s side at Lymington.

In a frantic start, Bashley soon won a free kick in a danger position 25 yards out, but when Lewis Ross’s kick floated in nobody could connect and it drifted harmlessly wide.

Bash continued to have slightly the better of things, but fell behind to one of those goals the like of which the player probably would never have scored before - and probably won’t again! Cleeve’s Matt Bower let fly more in hope than anger from 30 yards and the ball could not have found the top corner tighter if it had been put there by hand!

Two minutes later the lead was almost doubled. Bower found Ben McLean somehow unmarked in shooting distance but he lifted his effort over.

The home side had the taste for things by now and Charlie Philpott had to look sharp to cut out a low cross from Aaron Evans-Harriott.

Bashley were far from out of it, however, and after Mitch Speechley-Price lofted a speculative effort high and wide, Conor Whiteley had a much clearer chance, but his near-post header from a Luke Holmes cross lacked the power he wanted.

There was an even better chance on 35 minutes when Ross sent in a free kick from 35 yards which sparked a huge scramble in the home goalmouth. Mitch had a chance but his effort hit the keeper and Laird couldn’t convert the rebound, his header being plucked out of the air by Clayton.

Bash continued to have a good share of the play and when Lewis Ross won the ball in his own half he sent Harvey Bertrand away on the left. The cross was a good one but Mitch was crowded out.

There was another anxious moment for the home side a minute later when Lewis Waterfield won the ball in midfield, spotted keeper Clayton straying from his line, and tried a pot-shot from distance. 

He didn’t quite measure it, and the keeper scurried back to keep it out.

It had been an even half but three added minutes proved one too many for Bash, who surrendered a sucker-punch second goal. A straightforward corner from Evans-Harriott found Bower unmarked to head in.

So from being in the game, the Bash now had a mountain to climb. A 2-0 scoreline always means the next goal is probably decisive - one for the losing team and the fightback is on, another for the leading team and it’s goodnight!

Brett Williams replaced Mitch at half-time and Bash set about their task. However, only five minutes into the second 45 it took a terrific save from Charlie Philpott to keep Bash in the game. Ben McLean cut in and hit one from an angle which brought the best out of the keeper.

Cleeve had started the half the better and Philpott had to look lively to punch away a free-kick from Evans-Harriott before McLean had an effort blocked.

Bash had become second best for a while - although they might have done better when Ross floated a 30-yard free-kick into the box with no Bashley attacker able to get there.

Soon it was back to the other end and after Philpott saved well from James Harding, it was suddenly all over. Jay Malshanskyj made it to the by-line, cut the ball back perfectly in to the path of Evans-Harriott, and that was that.

Into the last 15 and Bash were at least aiming for a consolation goal. They almost had it when Luke Holmes made one of his typical driving runs and set up Harvey Bertrand - great effort, but an equally great save by Clayton.

Scott Bungay came off the bench for a final fling, but Cleeve had by then decided job done and put up the shutters to see out the match without conceding.

Bashley now have a week to re-group before their next home game, against Helston Athletic. 

One heart-warming footnote - during the week, and again at the gate, Bishops Cleeve had made a collection to go towards the fund set up for Jordan Chiedozie. Jordan himself, and Bashley FC, are grateful for that - a further illustration of how the “football family” has come together to help our seriously injured player.

THE BASH had to settle for a point from a rather scrappy mid-table affair at the Veho Community Stadium.

A soft pitch, which soon cut up on the surface, was not conducive to the sort of slick passing football Bashley prefer, and welcome though a bit of sunshine was, as it strengthened through the afternoon it became a dazzling hindrance to both sides, streaming straight down the pitch towards the Hoburne end.

Bash found the pitch particularly tricky as they reverted, rather riskily at times, to the “playing out from the back” tactics which had not proved entirely popular with their fans earlier in the season.

In fact it very nearly cost Bashley an early goal. New keeper Charlie Philpott came within a whisker of handing the Farm an early lead when his daring inter-play across the six-yard box was perilously close to being intercepted in front of an empty net by Farm striker Dan Dodimead, whose foot was just inches away as the ball was passed. 

Philpott, goalkeeping coach at AFC Bournemouth, has recent experience with both Winchester and Wimborne and was drafted in at the last minute because AFCB had agreed, 24 hours earlier, to Basingstoke’s request to loan Mack Allan.

Young Mack’s consistent brilliance all season was always going to attract attention, and it had already earned him a new one-year contract at Bournemouth At least then Cherries offered the very-capable Philpott as a replacement - he has appeared at first team level recently for both Winchester and Wimborne.

And apart from the earlier scare-raiser, he showed the class expected of him, being the busier of the two keepers in the first half.

The match kicked off 15 minutes later than planned because Farm’s team bus broke down on the way - but they still made more of a first half impact. They have a nippy, tricky little winger in Evander Grubb, who has caused Bash problems in the past, and he was doing so again here.

Occasionally switching wings to confuse things he went close himself a couple of times. Skipper George Dowling was also keeping Farm on the front foot and in one incident had two tries at a shot, the first blocked, the rebound sent just over.

Then Grubb and Dowling set up more confusion between them and Mitch Speechley-Price was right place, right time, to make a much-needed clearing tackle.

It was not all one-way traffic though. Luke Holmes, in excellent form recently, sparked a good move down the Bash left, carried on by Mitch, and only a terrific sliding block by Harry Lucas preventing Kyran Samadi’s shot going in.

A clever ball from Steve Walker freed Harvey Bertrand down the right and his cross fizzed through a crowded goalmouth with no Bashley foot to convert it - then Speechley-Price and Samadi combined cleverly in the box but were eventually crowded out.

There were still anxious moments at the other end, however. Jake Spence headed narrowly over from Dowling’s corner, then Grubb twisted and turned through four challenges before sending in a shot which had Philpott diving full stretch to his left to push it away.

Either side of half-time Bashley might have taken the lead. As the first 45 ticked down, Samadi and Speechley-Price both had shots blocked in quick succession, and early in the second half Connor Bent’s cross from the left eluded everyone as it skidded temptingly through the goalmouth.

But it was Farm who took the lead on 51 minutes when a quick break down the left caught Bash off-guard. Grubb had far too much time and room for a pinpoint cross which landed perfectly on the head of the unmarked Louis Britton eight yards out. Easy pickings for a competent striker such as him.

Almost immediately Farm showed the first signs of the tedious “game management” most teams with a 1-0 second half lead seem to adopt. 

Fortunately only ten minutes after going behind, Bashley were level. Luke Holmes chased a loose ball into the area to the right of goal. He got there first but was bowled over from behind by Aron Robbins and without hesitation referee Catalin Tanase pointed to the penalty spot.

There was not too much fuss from the opposition ranks - and not too much fuss from Lewis Ross as he whacked the spot-kick hard and low into the left corner of the net.

The referee had been generally efficient and non-controversial most of the game, but despite giving the penalty, he went on to upset Bash fans later in the game.

On one occasion, with Bash building momentum in attack after the welcome return of fit-again Scott Bungay as a sub, the ref denied what looked the most obvious of corners.

Then the one which really caused consternation in the home camp - yet another booking for Steve Walker. In home eyes it was hard to classify his centre-circle tackle on Britton as in any way worthy of a yellow card - but the ref thought it was, and end of the day, what he says goes.

It’s another blow for Bash, who are now set to lose their inspirational skipper yet again to suspension as the season enters its closing stages.

There are nine matches remaining now, four at home - Helston, Cinderford, Cribbs and Bemerton. The five away start in the next game, at Bishops Cleeve, followed by Malvern, Mousehole, Melksham and Evesham.

The table now shows Bashley remaining in 10th place, with the perfect mid-table symmetry of 11 wins, 11 draws, and 11 defeats.

BASHLEY rounded off a run of three long-distance away trips in style with an excellent win to complete a “full set” of results after the loss at Exmouth and the battling draw at Didcot.

Thanks to “JP” and Excelsior Coaches, the Bashley players and fans had a luxurious ride to North Devon, and the team clearly felt the benefit on a bright, sunny afternoon alongside the River Torridge Estuary. 

Yet again, it was a Bashley line-up which had not played together previously - the defence again being shuffled on the basis of one-in, one-out. There was the bonus of influential skipper and centre-half Steve Walker being back from suspension, balanced by the loss to a one-game ban of Dan Walster.

Dan, in fact, did find a team role for the afternoon, however, as the author of the Bashley Twitter/X feed (complete with cartoons!) - and his first duty was to report a Bash goal!

Just six minutes on the clock when Kyran Samadi made one of his tricky runs into the danger area and squared the ball hard and low into middle. Keeper Mike Searle could only push it away and Connor Bent was unmarked to steer in his first goal for the club from close range. As Dan wrote: “One yard out, but they all count!”

Bash continued in control and ten minutes later it was almost 2-0 when Luke Holmes made space for a shot which Searle did well to keep out.

When Bideford got moving they almost managed a leveller. Billy Tucker gave the defence the slip and forced the first serious action of the afternoon for Mack Allan.

Bideford were growing into the game and twice came close to equalising. Alex Moyse made a surging run down the right and sent in a deep cross for which centre-back Ollie Gardner rose highest. Luckily for Bash he could only glance his header just wide.

Then Tucker made a determined run down the right and set up Josh Webber, but under pressure, he dragged his shot off target.

Bashley still had the lead at half-time, but pressure had been building, and it took Bideford only three minutes of the second half to draw level. Mack Allan made a rare fumble and Javan Wright pounced on the loose ball to steer it in. 

However, inside another two minutes The Bash went ahead again. Connor Bent sprinted away past his defender, and sent in a precision cross which Mitch Speechley-Price met with an equally precision finish - celebrating, of course, in true Mitch style!

When Bideford tried to hit back, Tucker tried his luck from distance but Allan was equal to it. Then Javan Wright found space for a cross from the right but Scott Robinson couldn’t find the finish from a good position.

Jamie Hearsey dragged a shot wide when well placed, but Bideford were struggling to create a clear-cut chance and at the other end Steve Walker almost wrapped it up with a header which Searle saved.

Bashley still had to battle through the generous seven added minutes the ref awarded, and Bideford twice thought they had rescued a point, first when Mack kept out Jordan Ewing’s shot and then when Ewing came driving in from the right and shot wide.

In the end it was a deserved win for The Bash, who move up to 10th in the table, seven points off the play-off places. Dave Lewis’s squad now have a week off before finally returning to the Veho Community Stadium on Saturday for a date with Bristol Manor Farm. 

After that it’s on the road again to Bishops Cleeve in Gloucestershire - maybe a tricky time to go there, because while Bash collected their win at Bideford, the Bishops were giving Helston an unholy 9-0 whacking!

A CLEAN sheet and a point on the road after a difficult couple of weeks made this a solid Tuesday night's work by Bashley.

In chilly weather, with a brisk wind, it was never going to be a classic, and a draw was probably the fairest outcome in a game of few real chances at either end.

Bash went into it straight from a long trip to Exmouth, and still depleted, with Steve Walker missing at the back through suspension, and Scott Bungay, through injury, up front.

The line-up was again experimental with recent signings Tyler Edmondson and Logan Laird bolstering a new-look back line which also included Callum Baughan.

However Cal, who has battled back to top form and fitness from the frustration of a year out after a knee operation, lasted only 18 minutes, going down without a noticeable collision, but having to limp out of the action - unfortunately again with an ACL problem.

The nature of the ever-evolving Bash line-up in recent times was illustrated by the fact that at one stage of the second half there were four players out there who were not with the club at Christmas.

Tyler Edmondson, Logan Laird, Kyran Samadi and Connor Dunesby-Bent are all relative newbies still settling in to the club - and Sam Lewis, who was brought back from Totton & Eling (dual signed) come on for last 10 minutes and impressed from the bench.

Even so, this was a solid team performance and one which sets up Dave Lewis’s side in good spirits for yet another lengthy away trip, to Bideford, on Saturday.

The key to winning a point was that for much of the evening Bash held their own in the midfield battle, with Luke Holmes again outstanding and skipper Lewis Ross leading by example, as he has done during Steve Walker’s absence.

The opening stages were frenetic, with neither side able to take grip. It was nine minutes before the game’s first corner, which went to Didcot after Mack Allan had to deal with Dan Warre’s volley after a long throw found him unmarked.

That came to nothing - as did most of the attacks in this period of the game. Bash had a free kick in a dangerous position, within shooting range, when Brett Williams was brought down, but Lewis Ross couldn’t make it count.

Bashley’s best raid yet came on the half-hour, Samadi with a typical buccaneering run ending with a shot which keeper Leigh Bedwell did well to keep out.

At the other end, Jenson Wright intercepted a loose pass out by Mack and pulled the trigger from long distance. Luckily for Bash the ball cleared the bar with the young keeper stranded.

Bashley ended the half with a flourish and a corner but although the ball broke loose in the area a couple of shots were blocked before Didcot finally got it away.

Bash soon picked up in the second half where they had left off, and Samadi made another driving run down the right, sending a dangerous ball into the box, Mitch Speechley-Price narrowly failing to connect.

At the other end Warre was still the danger man - he latched onto a pass from Ewan Lynch, but Allan raced out to meet him and snuff it out. 

Lewis Ross then came to the rescue with a timely saving tackle, but Bash made a series of substitutions and it freshened things up for a final flourish.

With Bashley getting on top, Didcot had to deal with a dangerous-looking 30-yard free-kick from Lewis Ross. The home side conceded two more free kicks as they struggled with Bashley’s push, but neither came to anything.

As time ran out, in a Didcot breakaway, Warre almost caught Allan out with a curling shot from wide left but the keeper got back in time to push it away to safety.

There was one final push at each end, Didcot not being able to take advantage of a free kick 30 yards out, and Bash breaking away for Conor Whiteley to have a shot blocked.

And that was that, all square - but Bash having very little time now to re-group before that next long-distance journey on Saturday, to Bideford.

THIS was what jokers would call Déja Vu all over again - but there was nothing for Bash to laugh about in this fairly luckless result on the South Devon coast.

When Exmouth came to the Veho Community Stadium at the end of October, Bashley had a man harshly sent off at 1-0 down just after half-time and crashed to a 4-0 defeat. This time, in the return game, Bashley had a man harshly sent off at 2-0 down just before half-time and, well…the scoreline tells the rest!

Exmouth also had a man sent off two minutes from the end, while halting a move which might have brought the scoreline back to 2-1 - but just to rub in what sort of a miserable afternoon it was, the home side then nicked a third goal right at the end in added time.

Bashley went in still without key players at both ends of the park, skipper and defensive kingpin Steve Walker suspended, and striker Scott Bungay remaining injured after his trial at Stoke City.

There was another new face on - and then up and off - the bench, defender Logan Laird, on loan from AFC Totton, alongside Connor Dunesby Best, who made his debut in the match against Thatcham on Tuesday.

Bashley were slow out of the blocks and came under pressure in the opening minutes. Exmouth immediately had a shooting chance, which, fortunately, Josh Cann blazed over from just inside the area.

The first corner of the game brought more danger from Bash. Mike Landricombe headed it down for Luke Steer in a dangerous position, but his volley was way over the top.

When Bash got moving they had the best chance yet, but just when chaos was breaking out in front of the Exmouth net, Landricombe stepped in with a commanding clearance.

The heavy conditions were suiting the home side better and they went ahead after 16 minutes. Tom Bath found space for a shot from just outside the area, and despite the distance, it was hit well enough to fly past Mack Allan.

And soon it got worse - on 25 minutes Bash were on the wrong end of a debatable handball in the area. It looked as though a freak bounce off the pudding of a pitch sent the ball up onto unluckily Dan Walster’s hand.

There was no move to gain an advantage, but referee Mark Senior decided it was hand-to-ball rather than ball-to-hand, and up stepped Bath to slot it home. Mack got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out. 

It was a goal for the oddball statistics bank, because having scored three in the last half-hour for Exmouth at the Veho Stadium, and two in the first 25 here, it gave Mr Bath a grand total of five goals in less than an hour’s play against The Bash!

It also brought his total among the league's top scorers to 19 for the season so far. He was a good signing for Exmouth 18 months ago, having been round the west country block with Willand Rovers - where he started ten years ago, then Tiverton, Dorchester and Plymouth Parkway.

Things continued to look tough for Bash as Exmouth underlined their ambition to be promotion contenders. There was an anxious intake of breath when Bath broke clear again onto a through ball from Luke Steer, but this time the offside flag came to Bashley’s rescue.

Exmouth were getting greedy and when Ben Steer went down in the box they yelled long and loud for a penalty - so loud that their only reward was a booking for Joe Belsten.

Very little was going right for Bash, including their own loud appeal for a handball penalty which was waved aside by the referee. 

That inspired a spell of Bashley pressure leading up to the interval, but suddenly, just as things were looking up, came another shuddering turn for the worse. 

Dan Walster, already booked earlier, was judged to have fouled the canny Ben Steer. The Exmouth player slipped down, Walster tumbled on top of him and ref Senior decided that was worth a second yellow and off.

It was already looking like Mission Impossible, and Exmouth were quick out of the blocks in the second half trying to rub in the misery. Cann sent a searching cross into the box, but neither Bath nor Ben Steer could get there before Mack Allan. 

As the half drifted on Bash, surprisingly, looked in with a shout of pulling back a goal, and Landricombe had to come to Exmouth's rescue again, as he had done earlier, when things got hectic in the penalty area.

Landricombe was soon prominent again, this time at the other end. A short corner routine saw the ball worked to him just inside the box, and his snap-shot rattled the bar.

Luke Steer also went close - and then Ethan Slater went even closer. When he was sent through one-on-one with Mack Allan, it looked as though the Exmouth man had got past, but Mack never gives in easily, and recovered to save well.

Two minutes from the end, fussy ref Senior equalled up the numbers - about three quarters of an hour late from Bashley’s point of view. Louis Morrison was sent off for dragging back Conor Whiteley in full flight for what might possibly have been a goal back. 

However, to add insult to injury it was Exmouth who had the final say, Tor Swann bundling the ball in during a goalmouth scramble in added time.

Bash now have to regroup for another trip on Tuesday, this time up the A34 to Didcot with an even longer jaunt ahead next Saturday, to North Devon to face Bideford.

AFTER the electric, emotion-charged atmosphere of Saturday’s “Win for Jordan” it was always possible this one might fall a little flat in comparison.

And flat it certainly was, all the real excitement coming at the very end of a rather dour contest. It was 0-0 after 90 huffing and puffing minutes… At 91, it was 1-0 to The Bash and surely they had sneaked what had been an unlikely-looking win?

No such luck! “Four minutes” of added time somehow became five and that’s when Thatcham poached a controversial equaliser which - in fairness - they probably deserved on the night.

Bashley started with yet another new face, Connor Dunesby-Bent, on loan from AFC Totton, up front alongside a more familiar face, Assistant Manager Brett Williams.

That bundle of energy Mitch Speechley-Price, who has been a revelation in defence covering for Steve Walker, was again in a fluctuating back line with Dan Walster, Tyler Edmondson and Josh Bertie. Callum Baughan was pushed further forward into midfield, alongside the usual trio of Luke Holmes, Lewis Waterfield and stand-in skipper Lewis Ross.

The ground staff had done a terrific job getting the pitch to look flat and playable, even though sanded a bit like Boscombe beach in places. It had taken a pounding in the rain on Saturday and was clearly likely to cut up again.

And cut up it did, from the very early moments, making ball control even more of an art form than usual and creating a lot of often seemingly aimless long-distance up-and-unders.

The first half was end-to-end ping-pong, almost entirely devoid of meaningful action - although Thatcham probably looked the more likely to make something of what was going to be a tricky evening.

It was 20 minutes before either keeper had anything to bother them - and it was Bashley’s Mack Allan, who had to stretch up and back to flip away a header from veteran striker Harvey Flippance in the melee following a corner.

When Bash replied, good work on the right by Baughan ended with a cross which found Williams - but his 20-yarder lacked pace and Matt Pullinger saved easily.

Dunesby-Bent almost made an instant impact, his close-range shot being cleared off the line during a goalmouth scramble, but that was as near as Bash came in a first half which ended with Thatcham’s Kyle Daniel-Spray sending a free kick sailing a foot too high from 25 yards.

The second half was livelier. Mack had to show a safe pair of hands to pluck the ball out of the air in a packed goalmouth, and when play switched to the other end, one of Lewis Ross’s floated free kicks forced a free-for-all which ended with a Thatcham wobble being saved by the ref’s whistle.

Another Bash free kick, 30 yards out on the right, again caused chaos in the Thatcham goalmouth and the ball broke for Tyler Edmondson to shoot, but he couldn’t find the target - too high again.

By now Bash had started to “go for it”. Various substitutions brought Toby Bailey, Harvey Bertrand and Kyran Samadi into the game. Mitch S-P moved up front and suddenly there was a real spark about Bash for virtually the first time.

Almost immediately Mitch wriggled past two or three challenges cutting in from the right, but was eventually crowded out, then Samadi slipped over going for a loose ball which might have given a shooting chance. 

Time was running out now, and there was almost a horror moment for the usually safe-as-houses Mack Allan. Uncharacteristically he spilled a straightforward 20-yarder and after a scramble, Dundas gratefully potted the loose ball.

Thatcham thought the resulting offside decision, which ruled out the goal, was a harsh - but they were to have better luck, with the same linesman, later.

The 90 minutes passed - and some of the crowd started to drift away, perhaps certain, as were most, that if it had gone another hour it would have remained 0-0.

Not so! Into the first of those four added minutes and another free kick to Bash in the danger area. Lewis Ross, who Thatcham would have realised was the regular free-kick taker, lined it up. Lurking to his right, however, was Josh Bertie, and as soon as the ref blew it was Bertie who surprisingly strode up to take it. Bang on target as well and the slightest flick off a defensive head took it flying past Pullinger’s right hand into the net. 

Time to shut up shop, so Mitch hurried back where he had started, in defence, and it was all hands on deck because Thatcham, trying to escape the relegation area, were clearly not going to roll over. 

Bash came in for some terrace criticism for their apparent “hoof it anywhere upfield” tactics, because probably too often the ball was coming straight back.

So there was relief all around as the clock ticked past the “four” extra. But there was no whistle - at least until ref Paul Barber blew to point for a Thatcham free kick on the edge of the penalty area after Sam Tanner took a tumble. 

Mr Barber, who had a decent enough evening until then, seemed sure of his decision. However, Thatcham, at first ambitiously, started trying to persuade him to consult his linesman. They persevered and eventually he did just that.

Even though Bash fans in line with the incident claimed later it was up to a yard outside the area, the lino convinced Mr Barber it was inside - and so a penalty.

Even then the real drama was only just beginning. Mack Allan has a decent enough record against penalties and dived brilliantly to his left to push away Kyle Daniel-Spray’s spot-kick. However - and it was a whopping however - the Bash defence was then caught snoozing and  Christian Johnson skipped in cheekily to net the rebound. 

So even-stevens after all, and when the curtain came down, Bash probably had all that they deserved. Three points from a bit of a scramble would have been rather a cheeky bonus. However, there were probably some drained emotions after Saturday, and a pitch which cut up badly into muddy divots, did not help the sort of football Dave Lewis and Jack Williamson like the team to play.

Talking of the pitch, we should mention that while Jordan Chiedozie remains seriously ill in hospital, one of Bashley’s loyal volunteer ground staff, Peter Burr, suffered a suspected heart-attack while working at the stadium on this matchday, and after falling backwards during the incident, has cracked the base of his skull.

Swift action by his colleagues, Brian Eady, Brian Grogan, Dennis Dyson and  Norman Luffman , conceivably saved Peter’s life. Ambulance staff said that had Norman not successfully applied CPR the outcome could have been different.

All at Bashley FC would like to wish Peter a speedy recovery.

The match result left Bash 11th in the Southern League Division 1 South table, and now facing a run of three away games, first at Exmouth this Saturday, followed by a trip to Didcot next Tuesday (18th), then back to Devon and Bideford the following Saturday. Next home game is against Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday March 1st.

BASHLEY achieved the result they so desperately wanted on an afternoon of high-emotion at the Veho Community Stadium.

With striker Jordan Chiedozie still laying seriously injured in hospital after that freak road accident seven days earlier, his team mates hoisted his No11 shirt onto a pillar behind the home dugout - and it certainly gave them inspiration.

Jordan’s family, including partner Michaela, and his father John - the former Spurs winger - were guests of the club and watched on as Bash collected all three points on the back of a terrific trio of headers by Mitch Speechley-Price, Brett Williams and Dan Walster.

At a meeting on Thursday, the Bashley players considered whether to hold back from playing this game, as they had done to everyone’s understanding for the Tuesday fixture against Thatcham - or return to action and dedicate the game to Jordan.

They chose the latter - and gave a performance to be proud of. The scoreline has a falsely-close look mainly because of what Bash players and fans considered a generous penalty decision in favour of Willand six minutes from the end of normal time.

Likewise, referee Tom Farlow didn’t quite capture the mood of the moment when he fussily showed a yellow, then straight away a red card to Bashley manager Dave Lewis, banning him from the touchline for the final 15 minutes.

The opening stages were fairly tentative, with little goalmouth action, but soon  the pendulum started swinging decisively in Bashley’s favour - the home side, unusually, attacking the clubhouse end first.

Josh Bertie, returning at left back in a new-look back line, made a long, foraging run down the left and sent in a teasing cross which took a frantic diving block by Ross Edwards to prevent trouble developing behind him.

Willand won the game’s first corner, which caused a bit of confusion as it came in - but it was Bashley’s first corner, on 20 minutes which brought the opener.

A typical Lewis Ross inswinger from the left was met at the far post by the very fired-up Mitch Speechley-Price with a powerful downward header. 1-0, and inspirational - Mitch’s long-awaited first goal on his return to the club.

Suddenly Bash started playing with more freedom and spirit of adventure, with heroes all over the park. It could easily have been two when Luke Holmes sprung the offside trap and raced clear. He veered to the right of the advancing George Burton, but somehow the keeper kept the ball out despite going to ground what seemed too early.

There was a momentary lapse when Harvey Dorothy got in behind the Bash back line. Mack Allan looked as though he might have gone too soon in racing out 20 yards to meet him - but the young keeper got there in the nick of time to blast the ball off the striker’s toes.

Soon Bash came rampaging forward again, and on 35 minutes it was deservedly 2-0. Lewis Ross, this time with a free kick high into the box where Brett Williams turned back the clock with a vintage Brett Williams header. Here we go, nice big win ahead! 

But, oops, 43 minutes on the clock and a penalty for Willand which few saw through a forest of players. It looked as though Lewis Waterfield may or may not have tripped Ashton Hewitt but there was no maybe about the way Bailey Kempster took the spot kick, text book, low and hard to Mack’s left corner.

So at 45 it may have been Bash two or more ahead, but instead it was a modest 2-1 and still some work to do. 

Willo was in the mood and might have had a penalty - possibly more convincing than the one Willand were awarded, when he was flattened as he raced in from the right.

No dice on that, but it didn’t seem to matter just short of the hour mark with the third fabulous headed goal of Bashley’s afternoon. Lewis Ross completed a hat-trick of assists with a right wing free kick which Dan Walster came diving through a pack of players to head in at the near post.

Luke Holmes had the ball in the net again but couldn’t beat the offside flag - then came the moment which looked as though it could have set in motion the spoiling of the afternoon.

Six minutes of normal time remaining, and some goalmouth tussling before a corner kick, the like of which we’ve all seen a hundred times before. Referee Farlow decided to have a discussion with what seemed six-of-one and half-a-dozen of other players jostling.

From the ref's mannerisms, however, cynics on the touchline were already guessing what would probably come next, either a free kick for the defenders or a penalty for the attacking side. In came the corner, down went Mr Farlow’s hand, pointing to the penalty spot. Probably fair to say if you are giving those you could give half-a-dozen a game.

Anyway, penalty it was, and a second expertly-placed spot-kick by Bailey Hempster. Suddenly from a position of comfortably coasting home, Bash still had a bit to do.

However, on this day of such massive passion and determination, there was seldom a doubt that they would hold on, even through a generous seven minutes of added time.

In fact it almost got even better when Lewis Ross tried his luck with a cracking cross-shot from left of the area, bringing a diving save from Burton.

And that was it, all over, 3-2 and mission accomplished - a win for Jordan! Non-playing skipper Steve Walker proudly held aloft the Number 11 shirt as the Bashley players took a lap of honour, applauding the crowd as they came around and the crowd reciprocating in style.

Fair play, it must be said, to Willand, whose players stood back in the centre-circle and joined the applause. From their point of view, probably not ideal to be the potential fall-guys on such an emotional roller-coaster of a day.

If they are not too drained, physically and emotionally, the Bash squad have to do it all again on Tuesday evening when Thatcham are the visitors (7.45).

IF you were one of the 263 people at the Veho Community Stadium who watched this game, there’s no doubt you will remember it for many a day, maybe even many a season!

If you weren’t there, this is what you missed - how one sensational afternoon unfolded as the clock ticked down into a superb win for a team which played with ten men for 50-plus minutes:

3pm - Kick-off. Terrace mood a bit apprehensive. No win since late November, while in-form Westbury only one loss in seven and plenty of away goals. Key Bash strikers Scott Bungay (on trial with Stoke City) and Conor Whiteley (injured) both unavailable, midfielder Luke Delaney left the club to sign for Ollie & Co at Downton - but a 'new' young face on the Bash bench, Toby Bailey, made a welcome return after spells with Brock and Shaftesbury.

3.05 - Bright start by Bash - plenty of fluidity and bossing the midfield - might even have had an early penalty when Jordan Chiedozie was brought down as he cut in from the right. Referee Liam White waved play on. He was not the most popular man in town then, and nor was he - at least in the opinion of the Bash faithful - for most of the afternoon! 

3.08 - Chiedozie was keeping the Westbury defence busy. He was on the end of a slick move from the left but Dan Restorick slid in hastily to block the shot.

3.11 - Almost ahead. Luke Holmes saw the chance of a snap shot which looked as though it was dipping into the net, but Swindon Town loanee keeper Redman Evans leapt up and back to tip it over. Brilliant save.

3.15 - Little had been seen of Westbury but they won their first corner, capably dealt with by the Bash back line, and soon the action was at the other end again, Kyran Samadi on a typical jinking run past three defenders but not able to get enough ooomph in the shot and Evans saved.

3.25 - More excellent approach play by Bashley - Samadi prominent again creating an opening for Chiedozie, who shaped to shoot, then lost his footing on the slippy surface.

3.30 - Chiedozie escaped his markers again down the right and fizzed the ball through the goalmouth - Mitch Speechley-Price was inches away from getting a vital touch.

3.33 - Similar move to the last one - good work on the right by Mitch this time. Played the ball low into the danger area and Samadi was there with the finish. 1-0 Bash!!

3.35 - So far so good, a really promising first half-hour and Bash remaining on top. Chiedozie prominent again, shrugging off a challenge and breaking clear for a shot which had Evans diving full stretch to push it round the post.

3.37 - One of Lewis Ross’s precision corners found Steve Walker’s head but he couldn’t get enough power on it and the busy Evans saved again. It was to be almost the last taste of action for Walks.

3.40 - What the *$@*! Ball there to be won in the centre circle, Walker and Joe Beardwell arrived at the same time, and in his typical no-nonsense style, the Bashley skipper slid into a one-footed challenge. He won the ball, Beardwell went down with a shriek and the Westbury players crowded referee White. He had a good long think, then pulled the red card out of his pocket. Anger in the home crowd, who had visions of a possible win slipping away. (Bashley, by the way, are appealing the decision and will use video evidence).

3.43 - But already there were signs that all may not be lost. Mitch Speechley-Price took Walker’s role in the back four and immediately looked like a carbon copy of the skipper - even though a little shorter!

3.49 - Four added minutes safely negotiated and it’s almost looking too good to be true - perhaps Westbury now slight favourites, though, with a whole 45+ to come against ten men.

4.10 - Early stages of the second half safely negotiated and already the pattern looked promising. Bashley clearly fired up by what they considered an injustice on the Walker incident, and continuing to dictate play.

4.12 - Luke Holmes was just one of many in top form, and he was unlucky to see his shot blocked away after a brilliant dummy left two defenders kicking at air. Almost immediately Samadi was away down the same flank, beating two men, but unable to make the most of it as he reached the area.

4.15 - Bashley keeper Mack Allan had been a spectator for most of the game, but he and his colleagues were relieved to see Jack Witcombe’s low driven cross from the right skid clean through a packed goalmouth with no attacker to touch it in.

4.22 - Chiedozie was enjoying his best game yet for Bash and twice in quick succession he almost set up the second goal which would surely settle it. First he shimmied in from the right only to see his shot blocked - then he had a clearer sight and sent in a low, angled cross-shot from the left which Evans was grateful to push round the post.

4.30 - Westbury started to sense the ten men tiring and with 75 minutes on the actual game clock they had their first dangerous shot on target, defender Steve Hulbert firing in from close range and Mack Allan saving with his legs.

4.32 - Chiedozie’s afternoon is over. Exhausted after running for miles up front, he was replaced by Jamie Arnold.

4.35 - And almost immediately Arnold played a key role. He broke clear down the right, played a teasing cross into the middle which Westbury failed to clear cleanly, and Lewis Waterfield, just inside the area, pounced on the loose ball to smack it through the crowd into the net. YEEEESSSS! 2-0!

4.40 onwards - Time to run down the clock. Heroes all over the pitch, and Westbury, disappointing by their recent high standards, unable to mount a late challenge of any consequence.

4.52 - Added time seemed an eternity, but eventually it was all over - with almost the first blast on referee White’s whistle which was approved of by the crowd!

Delighted manager Dave Lewis found the one word which summed the performance and the sheer effort all over the pitch - "Immense!"

There is now a week to rest weary limbs before the 100 miles-plus trip to Tavistock on Saturday.

NOTE: The official programme for this match is available free on this link: http://bashley-fc.com/matchday-programme

THE old boys were back in town - six of them, ex-Bashley players now in Shaftesbury shirts, determined to put on a show for their former fans and stick it to their former club.

That was enough to give a keen pre-match edge to proceedings, even the possibility of a bit of a feisty un-neighbourly edge - especially with Bash currently needing to halt an untimely slide down the table, and ambitious Shaftesbury needing to climb away from the danger zone.

In the end it all went off without any notable unsavouriness, and with “two-shots/two-goals” Shaftesbury holding out for a point they barely deserved.

Newly-returned manager James Milligan's side ultimately avoided defeat on the back of two fantastic saves by skipper-keeper Shane Murphy in the closing minutes - and also on one, in particular, of several surprising decisions by referee Jacob Wright.

Bash started like an express train and were ahead inside five minutes. Two “old boys” combined to level it in first half added time, then the Rockies sneaked into the lead after Bash had been refused what looked - at least from the sidelines - like a 100pc nailed-on penalty.

Bashley’s determined search for an equaliser eventually paid dividends and they at least salvaged one of the three points they would have deserved.

Yet it had all started so brightly. With the team appearing to respond to the need for a first victory since late November, they soon had Shaftesbury under the cosh.

The all-ex-Bash Rockies’ back four - Liam Farrugia, Sam Davidson, Cam Beard and Ronan Moore - were soon working on overtime, and almost immediately conceded.

They came an immediate cropper on the rapidly-becoming legendary “playing out from the back” syndrome, as illustrated frequently by Southampton! A square pass across their own territory 25 yards out, was well-read and intercepted by Kyran Samadi, who took a couple of strides forward and rattled it past Murphy.

Bashley’s first moment of dispute with the referee came when it appeared the keeper tipped over Scott Bungay’s cross-shot after the young striker cut in from the left and let fly. Goal kick.

Then Bungay robbed the keeper on another dribble-out excursion wide right. Samadi sent it into the unguarded goalmouth but there was no yellow shirt there to complete the job.

Then Luke Delaney had a go from the edge of the area, and Murphy needed two goes to keep it out. It was all Bash, and when Delaney had another try, the keeper pushed it round the post.

Soon another apparently baffling decision, this time by linesman Brian Channing, robbed Bash of a great chance. When the ball was played through from midfield, Bungay, who would have been offside, wisely put his arms in the air and walked away from the action. Samadi, who looked a bus-ride ON-side, was clean through but halted by the flag and whistle (good name for a pub?!) presumably because Bungay had been off.

Chiedozie’s effort from a 30-yard free kick had too much last-moment swerve, and it had been very much Bashley’s half - until the final moments.

With the Bash midfield working hard and some excellent form right across what is looking a very promising back four, Shaftesbury had not had a single shot on target as the clock ticked into first added half-time.

Then it went slightly pear-shaped. The Rockies won their first corner, Moore curled it perfectly into a packed six-yard box, and it fell conveniently to the feet of Farrugia to force it over the line.

Early in the second half the home crowd launched a tirade of “advice” to the ref as Chiedozie carved a path into the area from the left, wriggled into space for a shot, and was clattered down unceremoniously from behind.

From the sideline it looked as though the sometimes-laborious VAR would have taken all of ten seconds to indicate a penalty had it been operating - but in fairness to the referee it has to be said he was nearer the incident than any of we sideline judges who were tearing our hair out!

Whatever the rights and wrongs, it was a costly moment. Bash might have been 2-1 up, but suddenly they were 2-1 down. 

Steve Walker had been enjoying a typically dominant day against - it must be admitted - a very nippy and capable opponent in Leighton Thomas. However, the skipper’s one lapse of concentration all afternoon was costly.  

An everyday sort of cross came in from the right - usually bread and butter for Walks - but this time he misjudged the flight. It skimmed his head and landed exactly at the feet of the wrong person six yards out.

Brett Pitman has been a non-League goal machine since ending a pro career with the likes of Bournemouth, Pompey and Swindon. Still only 36, he is, according to the grapevine, allegedly paid per goal as well as per game. If so, he is another bonus richer, because he doesn’t miss from six yards with just the keeper to beat.

So suddenly 2-1 down - completely against the run of play - Bash had to head uphill. Luke Holmes, Lewis Waterfield and Mitch Speechley-Price came off the bench - and it was Mitch who, literally had a hand, or rather two hands, in the equaliser.

From a throw-in level with the area, wide left, he launched the ball right in to the mixer near the penalty spot. Bungay swung at it and the effort was blocked - but reflexes took over and Bungay was first to the loose ball, prodding it perfectly into a gaping part of the net.

There was another penalty appeal - much less convincing as Delaney went over a tad easily - leading to another moment of surprise from the referee. Mr Wright looked wrong on two counts. He gave a free kick a fraction outside the area, even though the probably non-existent “offence” was a yard inside.

Whatever, Bashley were soon still pressing for the winner their performance deserved. Bungay was through again with a shooting chance, but Murphy made the first of two terrific saves in quick succession.

Soon afterwards another Speechley-Price throw led to more goalmouth chaos. Walker got his head to it, but not cleanly and it dropped down behind him. Showing more skill than your average tough centre-half, Walks, now with back to goal, hooked it over his left shoulder. It was dropping perfectly into the far top corner, but Murphy leapt up and backwards to tip it over the bar.

And that was it. Still no win since November 26th - but if Bash continue playing like this they should soon be back up among the play-off contenders.

The players have a week to re-group now before Saturday’s visit from Westbury - with Conor Whiteley and Harvey Bertrand likely to be back in the squad after injury and illness respectively. 

THIS was supposed to be the night Bashley got their season back on track by giving the Bishops the old Cleeve-ho - but things didn’t go to plan.

A scruffy match, where two evenly-matched teams pretty much cancelled each other out, was settled by a suitably scruffy penalty.

After 35 minutes Bishops’ tricky little winger Aaron Evans-Harriott took only a moderately-convincing tumble under a joint challenge by Callum Baughan and Steve Walker, and referee Jordan McRitchie, unfortunately for Bash, was rather more than "moderately-convinced."

The penalty was neatly slotted and that was a setback from which Bashley, ultimately, could not recover, despite throwing everything into attack as the clock ticked down.

This was yet another “new-look” Bashley side. Winger Kyran Samadi, on loan from Dorchester, was making his home debut alongside other newcomers Tyler Edmondson and Jordan Chiedozie.

Left-back Tyler, a former two-year scholar at the Southampton Academy, has arrived via Sholing and more recently Bognor, while Jordan is the son of former Tottenham and Nigeria winger John Chiedozie - who, coincidentally, had a brief spell with Bashley and now lives locally in New Milton.

Jordan has enjoyed previous success with Sholing and AFC Totton, and although not yet 100percent fit after injury showed glimpses of his Dad’s old swashbuckling style.

Kyran scored early on in his debut at Yate in the previous match and for a moment looked as though he would repeat that feat here, setting off on a long, weaving dribble which took him past three challenges, only to be crowded out before he could get his shot away.

That was Bashley’s best chance early on having previously come under some pressure in the opening stages from a team in serious pursuit of a play-off place.

Bishops’ giant defender Matt Bowers - all 6ft 7ins of him - had the ball in the net with a header after five minutes, but was correctly pulled up for a foul on keeper Mack Allan, who had the ball in his hands with a clean catch before Bowers came bundling through the back to knock the keeper over.

Bishops’ Matt Liddiard created himself a shooting chance which went narrowly wide, before Bash began to get up some momentum.

Luke Delaney cut in from the left after a neat build-up but couldn’t find the target, then Chiedozie got in a header after good work on the right by Luke Holmes, but was slightly off-balance and it lacked power.

Bash kept coming and another neat build-up ended with Scott Bungay’s effort being well held by keeper Lewis Clayton.

Then, on 35 minutes, it went pear-shaped with the penalty decision. Bash seemed rightly aggrieved at how easily the Bishops player went down, but there was no sympathy from Ross Langworthy who sent Allan the wrong way with a precision penalty.

And it was all uphill from there. Steve Walker, perhaps noting the ease with which the visitors won their penalty, went down under a challenge from a corner kick in the Bishops area but no dice.

Samadi made another one of his jinking runs through but was crowded out at the vital moment and screwed the shot wide.

However, just before half-time it took a great diving save to his left by Mack Allan to push away Ethan Dunbar's shot, and keep the margin at just one. Going two down might have been a totally impossible task because Bishops proved masters at shutting the game down in the second half.

After the break it developed into one long, frustrating battle of attrition, fought out almost exclusively in midfield.

There was only one real chance at either end as Bishops played the tedious - but effective - “run down the clock” tactics on goal-kicks, corners and throw-ins and Bash became increasingly desperate.

Bishops’ chance came from a misplaced pass from Samadi which set Langworthy through one-on-one with Allan, but the young keeper was equal to it.

Bashley’s only real chance of saving it also came, ironically, via Samadi whose brilliant weaving run through on the left ended with him shooting just wide under pressure.

Manager Dave Lewis made a raft of substitutions, bringing on veteran Brett Williams, along with Jamie Arnold, Josh Bertie and Charlie Wooding to inject some fresh attacking ideas, but it just didn’t work.

Credit should go to Bishops Cleeve for the efficiency they showed in shutting Bash out but it was frustrating - again - for the Bashley faithful who turned out on a chilly evening with Bournemouth also in action and several other good games on TV.

Cleeve, much-improved after an indifferent start to the season, moved up to the play-off places with their win, while Bash now sit 12th after themselves being in the top five only a few weeks ago.

Getting back on track will not be easy in the next match either. A few weeks ago James Milligan was manager of Bemerton when they beat Bash 2-1 - now he’s back at Shaftesbury, who come to the Veho Community Stadium on Saturday with a raft of new signings as well as a whole bunch of ex-Bash players who will be looking to impress back at their old hunting ground. See match preview.

BASHLEY became the latest victims of the runaway express which is Yate Town, a team surely already destined to be playing at a higher level next season.

This win put Yate 12 points clear of the pack, so it was a really tough task going into the game for Bash to have any realistic ambition of wiping out the memory of an indifferent spell over Christmas.

But Dave Lewis’s men gave it a go. With half an hour gone a lot of pieces had clicked promisingly into place. Bash deservedly had the lead and even on a cold, frosty, miserable afternoon of weather, there was a glimmer of sunshine about their performance.

However, in the space of two minutes, the warmth had disappeared and Bashley were suddenly 2-1 down, partly on the back of a soft penalty, and now having the mountain to climb all over again.

Hopes were still there of a second half recovery for at least a point, but a rare defensive mistake by skipper Steve Walker on the hour put that out of sight.

On a tricky, but playable surface after recent frost and rain, Yate made the faster start against a Bash side yet again showing changes and including a new face in former Eastleigh, Poole and Dorchester winger Kyran Samadi.

Bashley, however, quickly grew into the game - and Samadi was quick to make his mark in Black and Gold, pouncing on a loose ball with just nine minutes on the clock and smashing his new team into the lead. 

Bash continued on the front foot and at that stage there were genuine hopes of going on to an impressive win. Lewis Ross had the chance of a trademark free kick from 30 yards, and beat the wall, but keeper Aaron Sainsbury saw it all the way and gathered comfortably.

When Bash attacked again, Jamie Arnold sent a teasing cross into the danger area, but Luke Delaney was penalised as he tried to cash in. Moments later Delaney was in the thick of it again, this time claiming what looked an obvious foul against him in the danger zone without success.

But you don’t get to the top of the league by a mile without a capable attack, and after weathering some more Bashley pressure Yate countered and found an equaliser when Joe Guest created the space for a shot which beat Mack Allan.

In Yate’s very next attack they struck again - or as Bash saw it, "struck lucky". During a skirmish in the Bashley goalmouth, the referee spotted the slightest of pushes, and - to away eyes at least - gifted Yate the lead as Ross Stearn gratefully slotted the penalty.

The game had been turned on its head, and suddenly Yate, who were getting more of a tussle than they might have bargained for, had renewed confidence. 

It gave the crowd something to chirp about as well, and for reasons that were not obvious, there were times when they became almost hostile towards Bashley.

They almost had something to silence them as the game drifted towards half-time when Delaney’s shot almost deceived Sainsbury who fumbled it round the post.

The keeper made a more confident catch just before the break when Scott Bungay’s footwork created an opening, the young striker sending in a tempting cross.

Yate came out all guns blazing in the second half, looking to make the game safe. They hit the post, then Bash just about survived after getting in one of those groan-inducing tangles trying to “play out from the back”.

They re-grouped, and picked up the pace for a time - Bungay almost silencing the home crowd by bursting through one-on-one with the keeper, but sending his finish a fraction wide.

Harvey Bertrand then went on one of his cavalier runs top from the back but shot wide, and Sainsbury made a clean collection to end another Bash raid.

Having lost ever-solid centre-back Dan Walster to injury just after half-time Bash did not seem as secure as usual and several times Yate looked dangerous - including one occasion in particular.

Bash feared the worst when Yate screamed for a penalty against Mack Allan - however they did not get what would have been another soft spot kick.

It was only a temporary reprieve however. On the hour, Steve Walker made an uncharacteristic error, rolling a back-pass short. Ollie Dewsbury nipped in to slot it past the advancing Allan and that was pretty much game, set and match.

Bash had the majority of play after that, but having had that early scare and a bit of luck along the way, Yate were in no mood to surrender the points they had in the bag.

Manager Dave Lewis made a shuffle up front, bringing Brett Williams off the bench, but it was too late for the veteran striker to make any difference.

Bashley now have a week to regroup before another away trip, this time to Didcot, with the need for a win increasingly urgent to halt the recent slide away from the play-off zone.

IT’S been a Cruel Yule for Bashley and their loyal fans with just one point from three games, two of them at home.

When you need a win from a winnable game, it’s exactly the wrong time to be without your main strike force - a fact that was underlined in deeply frustrating fashion.

Bash went into it with one hand tied behind their backs. Scott Bungay, Conor Whiteley and Mitch Speechley-Price were all missing from the starting line-up, only Bungay being fit enough for a second half sub appearance. 

And lack of firepower - particularly in the shape of young strike-master Bungay - has been very much the key factor in recent struggles.

Against a Larkhall team lacking in confidence - themselves without a win in four - Bash would have hoped to renew their involvement in the play-off chase, but it was not to be.

Brett Williams went solo up front at the start, and although Luke Delaney and Charlie Wooding did their best to support him, Willo was too often crowded out as a lone raider.

At virtually no time this season has manager Dave Lewis been able to field the team he would have liked to pick - however, despite playing with yet another changed line-up, Bash started brightly. 

Larkhall defender Spencer Hall had to make a hectic clearance after Wooding broke down the right and crossed into the danger zone - then it was Charlie again from the other flank, setting up the other Charlie - Wagstaffe - who was crowded out before he could get a meaningful shot away.

When Larkhall got moving, tricky front man Evrard Yao went sprawling in the area under a typically no-nonsense challenge from Steve Walker. The Larks crowed for a penalty - and on past history, many a ref would have given it on principle when Walks was involved (!) - but ref Tony Cross stood firm and waved away the appeals.

Bash battled on, but seldom looked like getting a breakthrough. Larkhall were defending well, and picking up too much of the plentiful loose stuff in midfield as both sides tried to master a slippy surface - even ref Cross went a pearler on his backside at one stage, much to mass amusement!

It was almost the half-hour before Bash had their first series goal attempt, keeper Adam Forster guessing correctly the direction of Lewis Waterfield’s fierce shot and clutching it gratefully.

Walker’s influence was again illustrated when Larkhall’s corner king, Max Williams, swung in one of several right under the crossbar. It beat Mack Allan, but Walks rose to head it clear in the nick of time.

At the other end the skipper found himself in the right place to meet a Lewis Ross corner, but couldn’t get the power he wanted and it was cleared.

In a flurry of action at the end of the first half there was action in both goalmouths. Larkhall’s best move so far ended with Max Williams sending in one of those shots which sometimes kids supporters into thinking it’s a goal - his effort certainly rippled the net, but it was the side netting just the wrong side of the post.

A bright Bashley move, started by Lewis Waterfield, and carried on by Charlie Wooding and Luke Delaney, ended with Brett Williams pulling his shot wide. The build-up was worth a goal, but the half ended with a blank scoreline, and Larkhall probably the more satisfied with their first 45.

For ten minutes in the second half it looked as though there was little headway being made by Bash, so manager Lewis rang the changes. Waterfield, Williams and Wagstaffe went off, replaced by Bungay, Jamie Arnold and Luke Holmes.

Holmes in particular livened things up with some of his precision passing, and with Arnold’s willing running and Bungay’s eye for goal, there was promise of better things ahead.

Best move of the half yet saw a terrific crossfield ball from Holmes set Harvey Bertrand away on the right, his cross wasn’t cleared, and Arnold, with his back to goal ten yards out, swivelled round and cracked it inches wide.

Larkhall then pressed for a time. Hall broke clear on the left and his cross found Yao, but Allan was equal to it. Then Ryan Backinsale found too much room on the left and sent in one of those crosses which zips through the penalty area with nobody to touch it in.

Larkhall did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, however. On 69 minutes, Eben Mortimer-Taylor stabbed an effort at goal during a scramble, and Dan Walster scooped it off the line to safety - or so Bashley thought.

It didn’t even look a problem when the linesman lifted his flag, because Bash thought an offside call was being given - but no such luck. The lino was telling ref Cross that the line had been crossed (so to speak!) and after a brief discussion between the officials, the goal was awarded.

After that it was all a bit gung-ho in search of the equaliser. Steve Walker moved up front and almost immediately at the other end Yao forced a sharp save from Allan.

Holmes had added a dimension in midfield, and with Lewis Ross in good form, Bashley, predictably, started to dominate. Holmes opened the way for Delaney to try his luck but he couldn’t make it count, then Ross let fly from the edge of the area, forcing a full-stretch diving save from Forster.  

Bash huffed and puffed, but the curtain came down on defeat when Bungay found room on the left, but decided to shoot, to no effect, when a cross was the better ball.

So Christmas 2024 will not go down as one of the more illustrious spells in the history of Bashley FC, just one point from three games, two of them at home, and just two goals, both from their old-style centre-half.

The Bash now have one final chance to get back on track over holiday season with a New Year’s Day clash with Thatcham Town at the Veho Community Stadium (3pm). 

Three points there will be absolutely essential, with an away trip to runaway league leaders Yate Town next up three days later.