GRAHAM Speechley-Price bemoaned the cold shoulder from Lady Luck as a solitary late strike saw battling Bashley exit the FA Trophy against Sholing.

Dan Mason rifled home from close range with eight minutes to play as the Boatmen secured progress and the bounty of £2,500 in a tight 1-0 victory over threadbare Bash.

But boss Speechley-Price, adjusting to life in sole charge following the departure of co-manager Andy Darnton, was irked by the decisive goal having spotted what he saw as an infringement in the build-up.

Assessing the tie, Speechley-Price, below, told the Daily Echo: “It was quite well balanced, we more than competed with them and it could have gone either way.

“We had three players drop out in the 24 hours before the game but while Sholing had more of the ball, I would say we had the better chances. Yet again, we were on the wrong end of the odd goal but it was encouraging.

“We had two one-on-ones with the keeper, twice hit the bar and should probably have had two penalties. There was also a foul in the build up to their goal, their lad has put two hands in our player’s back as he has gone to head it and been left six yards out to score the only goal.

“It was one of those situations where we wouldn’t have minded so much if they had deserved it but we had competed well so the way it went was galling to be honest.”

Speechley-Price expects to complete the signing of Brockenhurst defender Dan Maher this week, while young centre-half Tom Hammond has been snapped up in time for tomorrow’s Russell-Cotes Cup tie with Headley United.

Bash have served Sholing with a seven-day approach for Dan Miller with “a couple of other moves” planned for the coming week.

Bash: Maher, Dunne, Moore, Petty, Rose, Hall, Morris, Bosma, Makoni, Crook (Hopkins, 76), Pereira (Drodge, h-t). Unused sub: Booker.