Taurean Manders and his Ten-man Bashley teammates matched their play-off chasing opponents Stourbridge in the opening half but ultimately fell to defeat.
Bashley gave debuts to Luke Ansell and Bermudan international Manders where the game was played in frankly repugnant conditions, gale force winds and driving rain combining to make it difficult for either side to play.
Stourbridge created the first real chance when Louis Harris clipped a ball through for Tom Berwick, but his effort was straight at Nic Jones. The conditions were so bad that both goalkeepers had problems with the ball staying still for long enough to take goal kicks, while Bashley skipper Jack Odam flicked an effort just over the top at the near post.
Ansell was cautioned for a foul and the home side took the lead midway through the first half with the resultant free kick. Sean Geddes whipped it in venomously with pace and it flew into the far corner of the net. Jones made a fine save to prevent Kayelden Brown adding a second within a minute but Bash kept their heads and a nice exchange of passes between Odam and Lewis Blackmore threatened to create a chance.
Bashley drew level on the half hour mark through one of the elder statesmen in this youthful side. Scott Joyce charged down a clearance from Will Richards before running through and coolly beating Dean Coleman with a calm finish. Dave Marden then picked up a soft booking when the ball swirled in the wind and struck him on the hand, while Joyce and Geddes both picked up cautions, the latter for a foul and the former for his protests to the referee over the same incident.
Both Brown and Geddes missed their kicks when well-placed but Bashley went in level at the interval and had an early chance five minutes into the second half, when Joyce almost reached a Nic Jones free kick before Coleman, with the Stourbridge keeper gathering at the second attempt.
Nine minutes after the break Bashley were behind for a second time after Geddes strode forward and his cross was controlled by Brown, who fired low beyond Jones. Five minutes later the game was effectively beyond them when Ben Billingham's driving run ended with an impressive finish.
Bashley continued to battle hard and could have pulled one back after excellent work from Blackmore and Odam created an opportunity for Manny Soetan but he failed to get his shot away and the chance vanished. Odam almost found space in the area after a second successive Bashley corner, but disaster then struck when a mistake from Ansell left Billingham away on goal, and when he was brought to ground by a challenge from Marden, the Bashley stalwart picked up a second caution.
Jones made a fine save from Billingham's free kick before Bashley also lost Sam Roberts after he was caught by an arm in the face in an aerial challenge. Roberts was helped from the pitch with what looked to be a nasty facial gash, and with only injured co-manager Paul Gazzard on the bench, young sub keeper Monty George was pressed into service as an outfield substitute after Bashley had briefly been down to nine.
Stourbridge sub Jordan Murphy almost added a fourth in added time but was denied by a clearance off the line by Brad Strickland, only for the resulting corner to be flicked on and turned in from close range by Leon Broadhurst.
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