Friday 23rd December 2016

After a tumultuous start to the campaign, Royal Wootton Bassett Town's season has settled down into a rather positive one on numerous fronts.

And, in different ways, teams in all three sections – Senior, Ladies and Girls and Youth – are enjoying success, with silverware square in the sights of some.

While that will hopefully arrive after winter turns to spring and summer comes into view, there's plenty to celebrate from the opening half of the season.

Senior Section

At first team level, Bassett's performance has exceeded expectations, especially after the departure of Paul Braithwaite as manager and a handful of vaunted summer signings after just four games.

The way new boss Rich Hunter and the loyal players who remained with Bassett responded to the adversity they faced has been exemplary. And the eighth-place position they find themselves in at Christmas is well deserved and a just reward for how they have performed.

There have been plenty of league highlights along the way – a stunning August Bank Holiday comeback to draw 3-3 away at rivals Highworth Town, a convincing 3-1 victory at last season's runners-up Thatcham Town and a hard-fought 2-0 home victory against Tuffley Rovers being arguably the top three so far.

Admittedly there have been some disappointments – the 3-2 home loss against Hellenic League Division One East side Sandhurst Town being the lowest point. However, the frequency with which these have occurred has been heavily outnumbered by positive, tactically astute displays.

At the heart of their performances has been a reinvigorated team spirit. Yet there have been individuals who have particularly stood out.

Steve Robertson has again exceeded twenty goals, Dale Richards has blossomed into a dangerous attacking threat, Sam Packer has controlled games from the centre of midfield, while Curtis Meare – Player of the Year so far in the opinion of this article's author - has turned in a number of high quality performances between the sticks. The young attacking duo of Henry Spalding – now since moved to Southern League Premier Division Cirencester Town – and Lewis Thompson have also made strong impressions.

The test will now be to avoid the awful collapse the team suffered at the turn of 2016, which culminated in a miserable eleven game winless run to end the season. There's been little evidence that will re-occur, and it would be great to see the team write a piece of history and become the first Bassett side to finish in the top half of the Hellenic Premier Division.

Into the quarter finals of the Floodlit Cup and in the lottery that is the Supplementary Cup, there's also cup glory to aim for.

A couple of heavy defeats notwithstanding, the Reserves – again under the guidance of Dave Terry and Danny Groom – have had a positive few months in the Wiltshire League Premier Division.

They have been particularly competitive against the division's top sides, as evidenced by their 3-2 October victory against Cricklade Town and 2-2 draw away at then-leaders Marlborough Town in November.

Good weather has meant they have played 21 of their 28 league games, and so they will likely slip from their current seventh place. But they are well on course to exceeding the 35 points they recorded in 2015-16.

Cup commitments early in the campaign meant that Becky Gammon's Ladies side have been playing catch-up against their rivals in Gloucestershire County Women's League Division One.

But they haven't allowed any pressure that could have created to negatively affect their performances. They have reeled off four straight convincing wins in the league, and, though sitting fifth, are just three points off second place Forest of Dean Ladies with three games in hand.

A cup final is within sight too, and they will take on Forest of Dean in the semi-finals of the Gordon Perrett Memorial Cup.

League success is the main aim though. St Nicholas Reserves may be favourites to take that crown, but should Bassett finish runners-up they will be hoping that will enough for promotion to the South West Women's Football League.

The only senior side who are likely experiencing any feelings of frustration are the Under 18 Floodlit League team. That's not because of performances though. Instead, their issue will be that they have only been able to play five games, the North Division they play in having been hit by the withdrawal of two teams. That handful of matches has yielded two wins and three defeats.

Girls Section

One of the major successes has been the re-establishment of Girls sides. Three teams have been established at Under 16, 11 and 10 levels, all of which are going strong.

The elder of the three currently sit second in the Wiltshire County Women's and Girls League and it is hoped the performances of their players should see some of them come into contention for the senior Ladies side before the end of the campaign.

Youth Section

It's been a cracking start to the season for the club's youth teams in their first year playing at the New Gerard Buxton Sports Ground.

Of the nine sides playing competitive football in the North Wilts League, five are in contention for league or cup honours, and it's hoped they'll continue to shine after the winter break.

Both Under 13 teams have starred. The Blues have advanced to the quarter finals of the Wiltshire County Cup, while in the league they have suffered just one defeat in their first seven games and are vying for a top two Division One finish.

In Division Four the free-scoring Yellows are absolutely flying, with eight wins from their first nine games and a six-point advantage.

Division One champions last season, the Under 14 Blues are again fighting for the title. League and County Cup engagements have meant they have only played four games so far. But all of those have been won, and should they triumph in their games in hand, they will have sole possession of top spot. They are also into the League Cup semi-finals, and will be aiming to go one better than last season when they were knocked out at that stage.

Also vying for a league crown are the Under 12 Yellows. They sit top of Division Three, a point ahead of Wroughton Youth Blue, who do hold a game in hand, and five ahead of Lydiard Millicent Juniors, who have four games to catch up on.

Elsewhere, the Under 18s are third in Division Two at the moment, three points off leaders Ashton Keynes Youth having played one game fewer. It's unfortunate that their division has recently seen two sides withdraw, thus reducing the number of games they are scheduled to play.

The Under 16 Yellows have been much improved this season, and are on course for a top half finish in Division Three after recording only two league wins last season.

Promoted from Division Two, the going has been tough for the Under 15 Blues in Division One. From eight games so far, they have recorded a single point. They have had a good cup run though, making it to the quarter-finals of the League Cup before being eliminated.

The Under 14 Yellows also find themselves in the bottom half of the table. Yet, their position in the Division Three table doesn't really give an accurate reflection of how competitive they have been. Of their nine losses in twelve league games, five have been by just a single goal margin.

Meanwhile, the Under 12 Yellows will be hoping to move up into a mid-table position come the end of the season in Division Four. In their first season of competitive action, they have recorded three wins from ten league games.

All nine sides playing Development football have been in frequent action too, with the opportunity to play on the AGP pitch yielding many benefits from that perspective.

All in all, after a quality beginning to the campaign, the foundations are in place for a successful second half of the 2016-17 season!

Last modified on Friday 23rd December 2016 at 18:45.