Sustain Stadium, Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, 16 December 2023

Royal Wootton Bassett Town kept their Hellenic League Premier Division playoff push on track with a comfortable 4-2 victory against second bottom side Lydney Town.

Four different scorers - including three defenders - were on target as Sam Collier's side made amends for their disappointing defeat away against the Severnsiders earlier in the season.

In control of the match more or less from the off, Bassett took the lead after seventeen minutes as Jowan Partridge netted his second goal of the campaign.

Bassett's lead was then doubled six minutes before the interval. Marking his 100th appearance for the club with a goal, Tommy Ouldridge beat onrushing Lydney 'keeper Olly Phillips to Jordan Morris' neat through ball and delicately steered in with a first-time left-foot effort from a tight angle.

Seemingly in a commanding position, the hosts then sloppily allowed Lydney to get back into the game two minutes later when Tristan Murphy halved his side's deficit.

Yet Bassett remained in charge of proceedings after the restart - and two goals in four second half minutes put the outcome beyond doubt.

Adam Corcoran was first up on 75 minutes - and what a goal it was. Morris steered a cross from the right into a crowded penalty area, which the Bassett captain appeared to have slightly overran. However, contorting his body, Corcoran produced an acrobatic overhead kick from twelve yards out that Phillips could do nothing about.

Substitute Harry Walters then quickly made it 4-1. And while Matthew Lee would add a second for the visitors with nine minutes left in regulation, that was a mere consolation.

Indeed, Bassett were unfortunate not to grab a fifth when Alfie Presley rattled the bar from a narrow angle after twisting and turning in the box to fashion space to shoot.

Given the teams' respective league positions, this was a game from which Bassett would have expected to gain nothing less than three points. Their commanding performance delivered just that.

And, as with last week, results elsewhere - notably the 3-3 Friday night draw between Pershore Town and Slimbridge, Hereford Pegasus' 2-2 draw with Mangotsfield United and Worcester Raiders' 4-1 reverse at the hands of Corsham Town - mean that Collier and his team once again gained ground on those around them in the battle for a top five finish.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 16th December 2023 at 19:17