BASINGSTOKE Town got 2015 off to the perfect start, moving up to third in the Vanarama Conference South table with a comfortable victory over struggling Staines Town.

Goals from Lloyd Macklin, Chris Flood and Pat Cox earned the Dragons all three points in Middlesex on New Year’s Day, with results elsewhere seeing them move up four places in the standings as a result.

The visitors were never really put under pressure by bottom-of-the-table Staines and could have scored six or seven had it not been for some decent goalkeeping and wayward finishing.

Town manager Jason Bristow made two changes to the side that had started the 5-1 win over Ebbsfleet four days earlier, but the team carried on in exactly the same vein.

Early opportunities fell to Macklin, Louie Soares and Tom Bird, while Shaun McAuley had the ball in the Staines net, but the offside flag was raised.

The hosts threatened briefly, Ashley Lodge shooting narrowly wide, but play soon returned to the other end of the field, with Bird firing across the face of goal and Flood heading Macklin’s cross wide.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 23 minutes, when defender Rob Dickie’s low through-ball took out the entire Staines team and left Macklin with a clear run on goal. He kept his composure to slot past Jack Turner in the home goal.

Town ’keeper Stuart Moore made his first save of the afternoon to tip Shaquille McIntosh's acrobatic effort over as the hosts looked for a response, but it was pretty much one-way traffic.

An excellent run from Dickie led to a corner and Bird’s kick found David Ray unmarked at the back post. His header down found Flood in space and he had the simple task of knocking the ball in from close range to double the lead just after the half-hour.

More chances followed, with Bird forcing Turner into a save and Flood firing an angled shot wide after good work from James Harper and Soares. The final two chances of the half fell to McAuley, but he failed to test the goalkeeper and the visitors had to settle for a two-goal lead at the break.

The visitors continued to dominate after the break, with Soares and Macklin having early chances, but Staines were inches away from getting back into the game on 50 minutes.

Josh Ekim had a go at goal from a free-kick 25 yards out and was hugely unfortunate to see his effort fly over the wall and smack against the crossbar.

Joe Aribo and Stephane Ngamvoulou wasted further half-chances for the hosts, but Town were never really put under pressure.

McAuley failed to hit the target after playing an excellent one-two with Soares, while Soares failed to beat Turner after being played in by Flood.

A poor kick from Moore gifted Callum Willock a chance, but the Town goalkeeper redeemed himself by making the save, and Cox added the third goal shortly after coming on as a late substitute.

Flood broke down the left before squaring the ball and Cox had time to take a touch and steady himself before firing past Turner.

Flood was denied number four by the home goalkeeper after another fine run from Dickie, who headed narrowly wide from the resulting corner.

Town’s leading scorer was denied by Turner again in stoppage-time, but it mattered little as the visitors reeled off their third straight win.

Click here to watch a post-match interview with Basingstoke Town manager Jason Bristow

PLAYER RATINGS

Stuart Moore – 7 (out of 10)

Not tested much but made two decent stops when called upon.

Nathan Smart – 7

Another energetic performance on the right flank.

Tom Bird – 8

Got into some dangerous positions and always an outlet on the Town left.

Robbie Rice – 7

Made a couple of good challenges as Town’s defence stifled the Staines front men.

Rob Dickie – 9 (Gazette Star Man)

Not sure how happy Bristow would be to see Dickie repeat his continued runs forward from the back against better opposition, but he looked like Basingstoke’s answer to Franz Beckenbauer at times. Set up the first goal with a fine pass and created two or three other opportunities by running the ball out from defence.

David Ray – 8

Didn’t put a foot wrong as the central of Town’s three defenders and his header down created the second goal.

James Harper – 8

Continues to improve. Didn’t do anything special but kept Town ticking over in possession and protected the back three.

Shaun McAuley – 7

Took up some good positions and gave Staines problems, but gave the ball away on a couple of occasions and didn’t always pick the best option.

Lloyd Macklin – 8

His pace caused problems throughout the first half. Took his goal really well.

Chris Flood – 8

Worked as hard as ever, was in the right place at the right time to score his goal, set up the third and would have had more himself were it not for Staines goalkeeper Turner.

Louie Soares – 8

A livewire throughout, floating across the pitch to take up dangerous positions.

SUBSTITUTES

Simon Dunn (for McAuley 65min) – 7

Helped Town to kill the game off by keeping the ball.

Pat Cox (for Macklin 78min) – 7

Took his first goal for the club really well.

Andrew Jenkinson (for Soares 82 min) – 6

No real chance to have an impact on the game.

Subs (not used): Brown, Case.

Staines Town: Turner, Brewer, Neville, Gallagher (sub Ngamvoulou 59min), M'Boungou, Roberts, Lodge, Aribo, Willock (sub Okuleyem 80min), Ekim, McIntosh (sub Bassett 45min). Subs (not used): Boakye, Felix.

Attendance: 315