Maddy Elliott scored a dramatic late winner to deliver a 2-1 victory for Royal Wootton Bassett Town over a resilient Shaftesbury side - and keep her side's South West Regional Women's Football League Division One Eastern title hopes alive.
Bassett seemed on course for just a point against a Shaftesbury outfit who hassled their visitors all afternoon. And, with Poole Town beating Stockwood Wanderers in the first of their two meetings, such an outcome would have seen Adam Wood's side fall to eleven points back on their opponents - a deficit they wouldn't be able to overhaul with the three games in hand they possess.
But with five minutes remaining Elliott was on hand to sweep home a rebound after home 'keeper Emma Stranger could only parry Caily Morse's effort.
That therefore transformed what had been a previously frustrating 85 minutes into a happy 90 minutes for the visitors.
Last season's Dorset Women's League champions, Shaftesbury have found the going tough results-wise in their opening campaign at tier six. But they started the new year with a solid 0-0 draw at home against Bath City and continued their strong start to 2024 against Bassett.
And they led as early as the seventh minute, Chelsie Johnson driving through the Bassett defence before emphatically firing into the bottom corner of the net beyond a helpless Millie Powell.
Bassett quickly responded and came close to an equaliser after Honor Fraser's dangerous cross led to a spell of head-pong in the box, with Natalie Goodright eventually striking the bar.
But on the quarter hour mark Bassett had their breakthrough. Build up play involving Lucy Goodright and Hannah Gulliver eventually saw the ball worked to Emma Sykes and she produced a fine strike from 25 yards out to get her side back on terms.
Bassett were out of sorts though, encountering strong resistance from Shaftesbury which led to some sloppiness at the other end with one misplaced pass almost gifting the hosts a second.
Eventually though Bassett were able to put Shaftesbury under some sustained pressure. But that failed to produce an equaliser.
Erin Hemsley and Elliott both failed to locate the target before Gulliver struck straight at Stranger.
A towering Laura Jefferies corner was seemingly pushed into her own net by Stranger but the ball was deemed not to have crossed the line.
Great play from Hemsley then failed to find its reward as she was denied by Stranger.
Bassett thus seemed on course for a draw. That was Jefferies played a one-two with Gulliver and delivered a superb cross to Morse. Morse's shot was rather tame but Stranger could only parry and Elliott was on hand to gladly stroke home.
There was to be one late scare when Poppy Failes found herself one-on-one with Powell but, superbly, the Bassett 'keeper foiled her.
That was the last chance of note and, despite not being near their best, Bassett had got the job done.
Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Sunday 14th January 2024 at 21:51
