BOSS Steve Wootton has called upon his players to toughen up and fight for their Hellenic Premier Division survival after three own goals kept them firmly in the relegation zone on Saturday.

But disappointed Wootton still feels his team can turn a corner as they face five Hellenic league strugglers in the next six matches.

They travel to title chasing Slimbridge on Saturday before welcoming Milton United, who are just one place above Vale, and Witney United to Pewsey. They then visit Pegasus Juniors, Chipping Norton and Tuffney, who are all in the lower parts of the table.

Wootton said: "If we get anything from the Slimbridge game I will be extremely pleased. We have to get tougher and have to start putting points on the board in the next few games.

"Things are looking bleak and we are already five points behind Milton, we don't want to make it anymore. We have a number of games coming up against lower teams and we must take points in those games."

The manager wants his side to stop making silly mistakes after three own goals saw his team take what he described as a hammering.

"Sometimes we are too kind to teams and are failing to clear our lines. We just have to keep battling and make a massive improvement."

Pewsey keeper Danny Holcroft was brought into the action as early as the second minute but he denied Ashley Edenbrough's shot.

In the seventh minute came the first gift to the host when a poor clearance by the Pewsey defence fell to Dave Toomey. Holcroft got a touch to his looping shot but could not stop it going into the top corner as it hit the inside of the bar, then the post before rolling in.

On the 33rd minute Pewsey continued to give the game to their hosts with the first own goal.

Defender Richard Pearson headed past his own keeper to put the home side two up and into the break at two nil.

Pewsey got back into the game two minutes into the second half when they were awarded a free kick for a foul out on the right side.

A perfect placed free kick by Tom Ritchie found Kevin Ackrill to head home and give the travelling fans a ray of hope.

But the celebrations were short lived as another own goal again by Pearson put Fairford further into the lead on the 48th minute.

It got worse for the Vale on the 71st minute as the third own goal of the match came when Alan Blake tried to cut out a Fairford cross but defected it past his keeper.

With ten minutes left on the clock Jonjo Slattery slipped past the defence to round the keeper to put the game well beyond doubt.