Gray goes on the attack (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Positive gameplan key to making play-offs, says Town manager

9:01am Monday 9th January 2012 in Football By John Boyman

FRANK Gray says Basingstoke Town side must adopt a positive gameplan if they are to challenge for a place in the Blue Square Bet South play-offs.

The Camrose Blues ended a five-game winless run in the league with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Bromley on Saturday after switching to an attacking 3-5-2 system.

However, they remain seven points off the play-offs – and Gray insists that he will continue to throw men forward as Town look to close the gap.

“We are playing catch-up in the table now so we need to have a positive outlook,” he said. “We were positive today, getting the wing-backs well forward, even if at times that meant leaving three on three at the back – and it was an excellent performance.

“Changing the shape has been something we have been thinking about for a while because it suits some of the personnel in the squad, and it worked today.

“It was a good, positive performance and a pretty comfortable win. We started strongly and kept it going throughout.”

Town started the game well and opened the scoring through wing-back Matt Warner after just 12 minutes. An own-goal doubled the lead midway through the first half, while Wes Daly’s penalty made the game safe in the closing stages, though Rob Gillman did grab a consola tion in injury-time.

Basingstoke are back in action tomorrow (kick-off 7.45pm), making the long journey to Weston-super-Mare.

The Somerset side are the Blue Square Bet South’s surprise package and sit eighth in the table, one place and two points above Town. They are on a good run, having lost just one of their last eight, and go into the game on the back of a 5-2 win over Farnborough on Saturday.

Gray said: “It was important that we got back to winning ways today and we have done that. Now we have to build on this result down at Weston.

“Weston are a good footballing side but we have got to go there and look to win the game. They like to keep the ball but we need to impose ourselves on the game.”

Basingstoke’s injury woes continue, with goalkeeper Ashley Bayes, midfielder Shaun McAuley and striker Delano Sam-Yorke, pictured, all expected to miss the game. In addition, Bradley Bubb’s loan has finished and he looks set to join rivals Eastleigh, while Stuart Lake is suspended, meaning that Robert Rice may be asked to play in midfield.

See The Monday Gazette for a full report from Town’s trip to Bromley and log on to basingstokegazette.co.uk/sport for live updates from Weston-super-Mare tomorrow night.