Bashley bruised by killer brace at five-star Truro (Bournemouth Echo)

JOINT-BOSS Paul Gazzard insisted Bashley were much closer to counterparts Truro City than the scoreline suggested following Saturday’s 5-0 reverse in Cornwall.

Bash remain rooted to the foot of the Southern League Premier Division after the White Tigers found their bite with two goals in the final three minutes of the first half.

Ben Watson broke the visitors’ resistance with a close range finish before Olly Brokenshire found the empty net on the half volley from 35 yards after rookie keeper Monty George had scuffed his clearance.

Watson tucked away the third midway through the second half before Cody Cooke’s blistering free-kick and Steve Tulley’s penalty rounded off the scoring.

But despite the heavy nature of the defeat, Gazzard believed the match was defined by his side’s failure to find the first goal.

Bashley’s player-manager told the Daily Echo: “People will see the result and think ‘That’s another 5-0 defeat on the road’ but without seeing it first-hand they probably won’t realise how disappointed we were to be on the end of a result like that.

 

“Until the first goal went in we were well in the game and were probably the better side. We certainly created the better chances.

"I had a header I should have done better with and one of their defenders has hit his own crossbar. Our best chance came when Joycey (Scott Joyce) cut inside and saw his shot hit the keeper’s foot.

“As a striker he could have taken it first time and even after taking a touch really should have put it in the back of the net.

“We were more than competitive but the two goals just before half-time killed us. We could have done better with the first from a set piece and the second should have been
“They are harsh lessons but the boys are learning from it.”