Cinder Lane, 19 September 2023
When the manager's away, Bassett come out to play.
A stunning four goal first half display delivered an emphatic 4-2 derby victory away against Fairford Town as Sam Collier's side maintained their fine start to the Hellenic League Premier Division season.
Collier was absent from the dugout for the game but will have been grinning from ear to ear as goal updates flowed in during the opening half.
Bassett put Fairford to the sword as everything seemed to come together in a blistering 15 minutes of football.
The floodgates opened on the 20 minute mark. Bassett were awarded a penalty following a clumsy tackle from behind on Louis Spalding and Matt Jones rammed home to put the visitors ahead.
Bassett's lead was then soon doubled. Trying to play out from the back, Fairford sloppily gave the ball away. Connor Waldon charged down the left before the ball was worked across through Chris Taylor and Sam Packer to Brad Pagliaroli who deftly curled a beautiful first time effort into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Leading scorer Waldon was keen to get in on the act and duly did so after half an hour. A Fairford counter was broken up by Jowan Partridge who sent a ball over the top into the right corner for Jones, who steered in a towering cross that Waldon guided in with a stooping back post header.
Sam Packer then grabbed his first of the campaign to make it 4-0 with ten minutes still left to play until the interval. More woeful defending was seized upon, this time by Pagliaroli, who - shortly after seizing possession - threaded a defence splitting through pass which Packer raced onto before coolly slotting beneath helpless home 'keeper Ben Mitchell.
Bassett had the ball in the net again before the interval but an offside flag denied Waldon a second headed effort from Jones' free kick.
By that point it was more or less game over. Jamal Lawrence pulled one back on the hour, slotting in after skilful play from Ben Lodge, while Joe Shutt added a second deep into injury time with an outstanding free kick. But Fairford were well beaten thanks to Bassett's first half onslaught.
Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 20th September 2023 at 15:26
