Gazette Sport
Gray: Not time to write off my team's chances
9:13am Monday 20th February 2012
FRANK Gray is refusing to write off his Basingstoke Town side as potential Blue Square Bet South play-off contenders.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Sutton United saw the Dragons drop to 10th in the table, 12 points behind the south London club, who currently occupy the final play-off spot.
Town have games in hand over most of the sides above them but there is still a mountain to climb, with Gray’s men probably needing to pick up a minimum of 31 points from their last 15 games.
That’s good form in anyone’s book but, when you consider that Basingstoke have amassed just 11 points from their last 12 outings, it becomes clear that a massive turnaround is needed.
It’s tempting to say that it cannot be done – but that is not a view shared by Town boss Gray.
“I am not writing us off yet,” he said after Saturday’s game. “There are still a lot of points to play for.
“A lot will happen between now and the end of the season. We had a good chat after the game and everyone is determined not to just let the season drift away.”
The game at Sutton was one that Basingstoke did not deserve to lose – but they did not deserve to win it either as both sides struggled to create chances on a pudding of a pitch.
“Today was the sort of day where you were looking for a horrible, scrappy win and Sutton have got it because someone has smashed one in from 25 yards,” Gray added. “We were looking for more today but, with the conditions, it was always going to be tough.
“Ashley Bayes has had nothing to do all game except for pick the ball out of the net but we did not create much either.
“With the amount of opportunities we had, we should have caused them more problems from set pieces. At corners we kept hitting the first man and our delivery has got to be better than that.”
Town’s trip to Dartford, which was due to take place tomorrow night, has been postponed due to the Kent club facing Wealdstone in an FA Trophy replay.
See The Monday Gazette for a full report from Saturday's match.