Bashley boss John Robson blamed "a lack of discipline and responsibility" for the 2-0 Eastern Division loss at Sittingbourne.

"The better side lost," he reflected. "We played all the football and our workrate and attitude was spot on, but two jobs didn't get done properly and that cost us the game."

It was Matt Graves, a recent signing from Wealdstone, who had to shoulder the blame for the Brickies' 11th-minute opener.

Instead of sticking to his task of manning the right-hand post from a Sittingbourne corner, he went AWOL after Bash skipper Aaron Cook had headed clear. But the ball fell to Ben Taylor whose shot deflected into the net right where Graves should have been standing.

"He had a rollicking at half-time," Robson admitted. "We have the same two guys on the post at set pieces - Matt on the right and Gary Connolly on the left. We've been through it time and again in training and they know they shouldn't leave the position until the danger's cleared."

Sittingbourne doubled their lead on 51 minutes when Michael Smissen had the freedom of the six-yard box to head in Darren Smith's corner. "The lad should have been picked up by someone," said Robson, "but on this occasion I blame our goalkeeper, Mike Hookway, because he should have come off his line to claim it or at least punch it clear."

Bashley had chances from Danny Gibbons, Dave Wakefield and Martin Whiddett, but it was their failure to deal with set pieces that concerned Robson most.

He said: "Ricky (assistant manager Ricky Haysom) told me when I first took over that we were terrible defending set-pieces and I can't make allowances any longer for them to keep making mistakes. We've got to do something about it."