GEOFF BUTLER came away from Saturday's 5-1 crushing by Cray Wanderers thankful that Bashley hadn't been beaten by more.

"We played second fiddle to them all afternoon and it was just damage limitation really," he said.

"We were run ragged at the back, we were second best in the middle of the park and our front two didn't get a kick, so 5-1 wasn't that bad!"

Yet again it was an uncomfortable day to be a Bashley goalkeeper. David Elm, pictured, got the nod ahead of Stacey Harper, but was at fault for the first two goals.

First he shouted for a cross but didn't claim it as Jamie Wood nipped in to score after five minutes and then he let a Leigh Bremner header slip through his hands.

Ross Lover's breakaway drive went straight through Elm's legs to make it 3-0 and then Elm gave away a penalty after being badly exposed in a one-on-one. He saved Matt Woolf's initial effort only to be beaten by Bremner with the follow-up.

Dave Wakefield replied for Bash from the spot after Danny Gibbons had been fouled, but then Woolf ran clear to bury Cray's fifth.

Butler admitted: "If you'd been picking a team from the 22 players on the park, you'd have picked all 11 of Cray's on the day and none of ours."

There were no points either for Newport IoW, who slipped up 1-0 at home to Hastings United.

The Islanders' four-match unbeaten run was undone by a second-half strike from the unmarked Rowland who beat Joe McCormack from close range.

Manager John Linington said: "It was a bad defensive error by us. Luke Forrest got the wrong side for a cross and one of their guys got in a free header which left Ollie Fleming flat-footed and Rowland with an open goal."

Fleet Town are languishing in 19th place after Whyteleafe won 3-1 at Calthorpe Park, despite falling behind to Tinoi Christie's 26th-minute goal putting Town ahead.