Plymouth Raiders...75Essex Pirates...79

PLYMOUTH Raiders have forgotten how to win.

They flirted with defeat for far too long against the then BBL Championship's bottom club, Essex Pirates, who snapped a 10-game losing streak against Raiders at a listless Pavilions yesterday.

It was a poor contest between two poor teams desperately short on confidence and quality.

The loss, Raiders' sixth on the spin in all competitions, dropped coach Gary Stronach's squad to 5-16, six wins back from 11-11 Worthing Thunder, who now occupy the eighth and final play-off spot in the standings.

Raiders need a minor miracle to make the post-season and performances like yesterday offer zero hope.

A four-game winning streak from December 16-January 3 offered Raiders fans real encouragement this season.

But yesterday Raiders resembled a journeyman fighter, who, ill advised, had taken one pay-day too many.

Raiders coach Gary Stronach said afterwards: "We're way back on the (play-off) pack now. We have to be nigh-on perfect now and win 13 out of our last 15 to finish 18-18. That's a big ask in this league."

Raiders forward Matt Hilleary said: "These games are all winnable, but it comes down to one or two plays and us not being able to get it done – no excuses.

"Coach (Stronach) is pouring his heart and soul into us, and we're really trying to get each other motivated and inspired.

"But it's difficult to go down to defeats like this."

Small-forward Terry Horton missed a jump-shot from the left baseline, which would have pulled Raiders within one, 77-76 at the death.

Pirates shooting-guard – and former Raider – Dean Williams attacked Raiders point-guard Anthony Martin on the following possession, drew the illegal contact and drilled both free-throws to make it 79-74 with 48 second remaining.

Raiders guard Drew Lasker missed a three from the left corner on the buzzer, but it was irrelevant – Raiders were down by four.

Pirates led by as many as 10, 56-46 after back-to-back threes from point-guard Taner Adu, who had a game-high 25 points, late in the third quarter.

Raiders cut Pirates' lead to five, 58-53 with a 7-2 response before another 7-2 home run pulled them within two, 62-60 early in the fourth.

You'd have put good money on a home win at that point, but Pirates, under real pressure, did not fold and focused at the offensive end.

Pirates centre Alan Metcalfe, one of the few class acts on show yesterday, scored inside to rebuild the visitors' advantage to four, 64-60.

Raiders remained in touching distance with baskets from big-man James Noel, Horton and power-forward Tino Valencia, whose left baseline drive again cut the gap to two, 68-66.

Pirates power-forward Randy George scored with his own left baseline move to make it 70-66, before Pirates shooting-guard Wallid Mumuni hit a three over Martin to suddenly balloon the lead to seven, 73-66.

Pirates, who converted a cool 6/6 free-throws in the fourth, were always favourites then.

Stronach said: "We were definitely lethargic in the first half, but came out with more energy in the second.

"At the end of the day we couldn't put the ball in the bucket. Nobody shot the ball well apart from (Tino) Valencia."

He added: "We had enough opportunities, but just couldn't finish.

"Essex were dogged and hung around, but I was confident we would close the game out but we just didn't get it done."

You can list the flaws in Raiders' 2009/10 make-up, ad nauseam, like a litany of transgressions by a serial offender – no killer instinct, poor defensive pressure, terrible outside shooting, inconsistent support off the bench and no execution down the stretch.

But, ultimately, you return to the simple point that Raiders are not good enough this season.

Stronach, albeit with a playing budget slashed in more than half, made questionable buys in the transfer market last summer.

With the play-offs looking an increasingly distant prospect, the pressure is already on to get it right this off-season.

Hilleary added: "It's frustrating to be out there and feel like everybody's playing hard and really wants to win so much.

"Whether it's shots not falling or one play breaking our momentum, or whatever it is, we just can't seem to get there the last few games."

Stronach said: "You look at the stats and we went 1/16 on the three-ball, we missed some easy buckets inside and we missed 10 free-throws.

"Defensively, we were where we needed to be and held them in the 70s, but offensively we spluttered."

STATS

Points: Raiders: Valencia 24 (12/12 Field-Goals), Martin 12 (3/8), Lasker 11 (3/16), Hilleary 10 (4/10), Horton 6 (3/11), Rowe 5 (2/8), Noel 4 (2/2), Gall 3 (1/4); Essex: Adu 25 (9/15), George 16 (8/17), Metcalfe 12 (5/8)

Rebounds: Raiders 36; Essex 41

Assists: Raiders 15; Essex 11

Turnovers: Raiders 12; Essex 19

Points Off Turnovers: Raiders 12; Essex 9

Points Off Bench: Raiders 13; Essex 14

Field-Goal Percentage: Raiders: 42 per cent (30/71 attempts); Essex: 52 per cent (31/60)

Three-Point Percentage: Raiders: 6 per cent (1/16 attempts); Essex: 38 per cent (6/16)

Free-Throw Percentage: Raiders: 58 per cent (14/24 attempts); Essex: 69 per cent (11/16)

OTHER RESULTS

BBL Championship: Newcastle 112 London 66, Sheffield 100 Leicester 86, Essex 83 Everton 95, Leicester 100 Milton Keynes 85, Cheshire 70 Milton Keynes 71, Glasgow 106 Worthing 68, Guildford 85 London 52, Everton 67 Worcester 76