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."

Eastleigh's biggest disappointment from their 1-1 draw at Stamford was having Christer Warren needlessly sent off.

In what director of football Mark Dennis described as "a moment of madness", Warren - already on a yellow card - watched fellow ex-Saint Phil Warner booked for charging down a free kick and, incredibly, committed the same offence seconds later to get sent off with 14 minutes remaining.

Having had their fair share of first-half chances through Paul Sales, Rob Marshall and Robbie Matthews, Eastleigh fell behind two minutes before the interval when Matt Green followed up after Colin Matthews had saved Gareth Pritchard's header.

The visitors turned up the heat at the start of the second half and Sales equalised in the 53rd minute, heading in a corner at the near post.

Warren's dismissal tipped the balance back Stamford's way and it needed a great save from big Matthews to keep out Danny Steadman's stoppage-time volley.

Dennis summed up: "Some of the refereeing was laughable and it spoilt two good teams playing well on an awful pitch. But we were well worthy of a draw and will be looking to win our two home games coming up."