STEVE Riley felt his side deserved something from their trip to Northamptonshire - but hailed the "great finish" that earned a 1-0 victory for Brackley Town.

The New Forest club went into the Southern Premier Division showdown as the form side on the back of a long unbeaten run, while the hosts had suffered four consecutive defeats.

A close match was always on the cards between the teams that won the Southern League's two Division One titles last season, with Bash storming to the South and West crown and Brackley doing the same in the Midlands section.

But a super strike in the last minute ruined Bashley's night at St James's Park.

"We've had a great run and I'm not going to get disappointed," Riley told the Daily Echo.

Riley felt a draw would've been a fair result in last night's match after both teams enjoyed spells of dominance.

"They shaded the first half and we did the second, so a draw would've been a fair result and we'd have enjoyed a draw," said the Bash boss.

"But it was a great finish, they won the game, and we'll just have to take the positives."

Riley was also left to rue his side's misfortune with player fitness after both Ryan Hill and Dave Town picked up injuries.

"We're getting no luck at the minute. We got Paul Gazzard back from suspension, then Ryan Hill and Dave Town get injured," said Riley.

"The physio has his work cut out to get us fit for Saturday.

"We've got quite a few games coming up so we've got to patch some up and get on with it."

Bashley: Elm, Hill (Riley), Ferrett, Castle, Gazzard, Keeping, Tarr, Wakefield, Davis, Town (Moss), Gillespie. Unused subs: Harper, Blackmore, Keeler.