PEWSEY Vale's manager Steve Wootton blamed his side's heavy defeat on a combination of bad luck and a devastating injury list.

The beleaguered outfit has seven first team players sidelined with injuries and Wootton said he is being forced to call on the club's reserve and youth team players to step into the breach.

"We have come to the conclusion that unless everyone is fit we are going to struggle in this league," he said.

"With have several important players injured and we just can't compete. We have got a lot of young players in the team and we are making some nave mistakes, which are costing us."

Henley's first goal came from a free kick, which Pewsey's defence failed to react to, leaving a player unmarked at the far post who slotted the ball into the goal.

The second goal came from a mistake by the team's sweeper, who let the ball go under his foot leaving a pacy Henley striker with a one-on-one with the keeper. Henley scored their third from a 30-yard power drive and added a fourth after a mix up at the back.

Pewsey struck back when Micky Goodwin squared the ball across the goal for striker Barry Flippance who poked the ball in from six yards, before a half-hearted challenge allowed Henley in for their fifth.

"They had three goal scoring opportunities in the first half, two from our mistakes, and they took all of them," Wootton said.

"We had as many chances, but we just couldn't put them away. Things are beginning to go from bad to worse."

On Saturday Pewsey face Witney, who are in fourth place in the league below, in the Subsidary Cup.

But Wootton said he is expecting his side to struggle with so many injuries and players unavailable through other commitments.

Justin Messenger and his twin brother Matt are both out with hamstring injuries, and are not expected to return until after Christmas.

Centre half Bryan Blake is out with a cartilage problem in his knee and his brother Alan, who plays in the midfield, has a calf injury.

Midfielder Paul Fisher has a broken bone in his foot, striker Dave Marfleet a back injury and midfielder Gary Ashford is in Germany until the New Year with his job.

But midfielder Tom Richie returns after a six-week suspension.

"We have probably 20 players signed, but with 11 out it's not good," Wootton said.

"I think we have a full side we can compete with most sides in the league, but we can't seem to get a full side together. You can play a few youngsters here and there, but I'm having to field five or six. It's an uphill battle so we've got to stick at it."