BASINGSTOKE Town manager Jason Bristow was unable to hide his displeasure after watching his side slump to defeat at Hornchurch, a result that means they remain in the Blue Square Bet South relegation zone.

“We gave them the game,” the Town boss said. “For the first 45 minutes we were good but we did not score in our spell of pressure.

“The position we are in, confidence is the key. If we had got a goal when we were on top it would have been a different story but instead we conceded a poor goal and lost confidence.

“We gave the ball away from our kick-off and put ourselves under pressure with a free-kick in a dangerous area. They scored and we did the same thing again five minutes later, giving away another dangerous free-kick.

“As good as we were in the first half, we were just as bad after the break and I was disappointed with the way the players reacted to going behind.

“When we went a goal down the players got on each other’s backs. We have got to be in this together, not digging each other out. We need to be in it as a team.”

Town were due to be in action again tomorrow night, but their trip to Dorchester has been postponed due to the Dorset side’s continued involvement in their county cup.