EXPERIENCE and knowhow are required by Wayne Thorne to improve his current Bradford Town squad, who drew 2-2 with Buckland Athletic at the weekend.

The point ensured Thorne’s side remain eighth in the division with 45 points from 31 games.

Taking his initial target of avoiding the drop into consideration, Thorne has been pleased with the football his team has been producing since taking charge in October.

But he admits a lack of characters and experienced players in the team has resulted in points being dropped.

“We’ve got plenty of young lads in the squad, and that’s something we need to address in the summer,” said Thorne.

“When I took charge of the club, my job was to keep the team in the division. So, in that sense, it has been a good season.

“But we need to add some experience, some battlers and some knowhow to the team.

“I want experienced players that can help the younger group we have got.

“We need characters when we’re losing, this season we haven’t really had that luxury.”

On Saturday, Martin Lenihan was on target for the Bobcats inside the opening 10 minutes before Athletic equalised through Ryan Bush.

Town’s one-goal lead was then re-established when Dan Cottle scored minutes into the second half, that was before 10-man Buckland struck a controversial second – believed to be offside – in the closing minutes.

The result was an improvement on Town’s 4-1 defeat to Buckland a week earlier, and Thorne was pleased with the reaction he got from his players.

He added: “We played well on Saturday, we just lacked a bit of luck as it was muttered that their goal at the end was offside.

“But we’re in a better position now compared to when I first took charge of the club, so for us it’s about having the right mentality.”

Town are next in action on Saturday when travelling to face sixth-placed Clevedon in another Toolstation Premier Division contest.

Thorne wants a repeat performance after his men downed the Somerset side 3-0 when they last met.

“My first result as manager was a 3-0 win at home to Clevedon, and we will need to be strong again,” he said.

“It’s still possible we can finish in the top six, we must look to pick up three points.”

Elsewhere, Westbury United were beaten 3-1 on their trip to fellow high-flyers Bitton.

Callum Demkiv was United’s scorer on the outskirts of Bristol.

The defeat was a third in a row for Westbury and they face another tough test on Saturday at home to second-placed Plymouth Parkway.