BASHLEY manager Geoff Butler was left bewildered by his side's drastic turnaround in form as they meekly exited this year's FA Cup after an inept display at Ashford Town.

A run of four wins in five matches in the league had Bash followers dreaming of a glorious run in the premier cup competition in the country.

But the New Forest outfit simply failed to turn up in Middlesex and did not create a meaningful chance in the whole game, their solitary goal coming courtesy of an Ashford player.

And Butler was pulling no punches as he read the riot act on his team's woeful showing.

He said: "Really, I don't think we could have been any worse. Frankly, we were lucky to come second.

"On the day, we were second best and were as poor as I think it's possible for us to be. They weren't a bad side but we lost most of the physical battles.

"Quite honestly, we could have been four down by half-time, so to have gone in at 2-1, I thought we might have a chance in the second period if we could improve. There were a few choice words said at the break but it obviously had no effect.

"We never looked like threatening, failed to create a really good chance and I was very disappointed with the efforts of certain players." Bash got off to the worst possible start when Dave Wakefield put past David Elm with just eight minutes gone. And things got worse on 34 minutes, when defender Ben Whatford doubled the home side's advantage.

But the visitors were thrown a lifeline five minutes before the break thanks to the own goal from Ross Davidson.

And although there was a small improvement in the second half, Scott Todd slashed any lingering Bash hopes with a third eight minutes from time.

Butler has strengthened his squad however with Team Bath defender Graham Mills making his debut from the bench in Middlesex on Saturday.

Bash: Elm, Gazzard, Ferrett, Jones, Julius (Mills 30), Culliford, Gee, Wakefield (Clements 75), Gibbons, Gillespie, Mamadousa.