Stopper staying for title charge

6 Jan 2017 By David Watters

After helping them solve an early season keeping crisis, Portsmouth stopper Alex Bass will be between the sticks at Salisbury until the end of the EVO-STIK League Southern campaign.

The young stopper, pictured, turned 20 on New Year’s Day and has made 25 appearances for Steve Claridge's side, keeping nine clean sheets since making his debut in a 4-1 victory over Bishops Cleeve at the Ray Mac in August.

In a statement on Friday, delighted officials at the fourth-placed EVO-STIK League Southern Division One South & West club hailed the news as a massive boost to their promotion aspirations as Claridge looked to extend his side's winning run to eight on Saturday when they host North Leigh.

The 6ft 1in keeper, who signed on an initial month long deal as a replacement for former number one Charlie Searle, progressed through the youth ranks at Portsmouth and first appeared on the League Two club's bench in March of last year at the age of 16.

Bass went to make 36 appearances as a substitute and was offered a one-year professional contract in April before making his full debut in a 3-2 defeat at Coventry City in the EFL Cup in August before going out on loan.

Image courtesy of salisburyfc.co.uk

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Where next?

Saturday's Premier Division action review Hitchin Town joined Leamington at the top of the EVO-STIK League Southern's Premier Division table on Saturday, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.