Wootton Bassett 6, Easington Sports 0 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Wootton Bassett 6, Easington Sports 0

4:20pm Thursday 4th May 2006 in Football

PAUL Burke was a proud but bitterly disappointed manager on Saturday after his Wootton Bassett side missed out on promotion by a single point.

Tuesday's defeat at Trowbridge Town proved costly as even Saturday's 6-0 win at home to Easington was not enough to ease them to a top three spot and an immediate return to the top flight.

After a slow start to the campaign, Bassett almost pulled off the story of the season with just one defeat in their last 14 matches but after narrowly missing out, Burke was left to reflect on what might have been.

He said: "We have lost seven games this season, all by the odd goal. You can't help thinking back and reflecting on those games.

"It is so cruel to have missed out by a point as the side we have now is undoubtedly at least a top three side. We did not believe in ourselves at the start and in the end we left ourselves just a little too much to do."

Matty Bennett finished the season as top scorer with 12 after a brace on Saturday while Ben Gascoyne (2), Stu Hemsley and Nathan Hall added the others.

Burke said: "I will not rest until we are back in the Premier Division. That is a solemn vow."