IT was not a happy start to the year for Pewsey Vale as they lost their basement battle.

Pegasus led 2-0 by the 49th minute. Barry Flippance did pull one back for Vale but it was too little too late.

Manager Steve Wootton said: "We didn't play well at all to be honest. We had a couple of early chances but they could have won by three or four goals.

"They were a little bit fortunate with first when the ball took a funny bounce and we tried to force the game at the start of the second half.

"But really we were too naive and they caught us on the break.

"If it hadn't been for Darren Waters and Lee Wilson who were superb we could have been on the end of a hiding.

"At 2-1 with 20 minutes to go we were still in the game but we didn't get ball forward enough and weren't creative enough and paid the price."

On Saturday Pewsey travel to Fairford in need of a win that would boost both their confidence and their league position.

Wootton added: "We are not halfway yet and we need to pull together and learn from our mistakes both as players and at the management level.

"We've got Gloucester twice in early February and Chipping Norton twice were newly promoted this season so there are points to be won.

"But if we don't learn from our mistakes then we deserve to be where we are."