BASINGSTOKE Town boss Dan Brownlie hopes December’s Pitching In Isthmian League Performance of the Month Award is not the only silverware his side will earn this season.

The ‘Stoke picked up the monthly prize in the South Central Division following their 8-0 win over Guernsey, Bradley Wilson netting a hat-trick in the thumping win.

Town missed out in heartbreaking fashion in the play-offs last season but are currently in the thick of another promotion bid and Brownlie hopes they can learn their lessons and succeed this time around.

“We are really happy with the position we are in and why can’t it be us?” he said.

“We have got to have that mentality of going into each game not expecting to win but wanting to win.  

“We are going into games with absolutely zero fear.

“Over the summer, we worked hard to recruit good players and enhance what we had and improve where we were weaker. 

“This group have a strong desire to be better every week on a collective and individual level.”

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That relentless attitude has been paying off, with Basingstoke finding themselves third in the table at the halfway stage of the season. 

The award-winning rout of Guernsey saw Town three up by half-time but Brownlie demanded more from his side at the break and they delivered in style.

“Despite it being 3-0 at half-time, it was one of those rare occasions I came in really disappointed,” said Brownlie. 

“Not because of the goals, but about wasted opportunities. The call was to be better. 

“We didn’t want to relax or settle. We thought there were more goals but we were more interested in raising the levels of performance. 

“We never expect to put eight goals past anyone but I think that level of performance was coming. 

“We have been knocking on the door of that kind of level of performance for a few weeks now.

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“It’s been there in 20- or 30-minute bursts but the big challenge with this group is to maintain a level of consistency across a game, and now also the season.

“It’s that consistency – if you can continue to perform at high levels you have more chance of winning games. If you have those peaks and troughs, you’re going to come unstuck.”

Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/