Celebrating success: North Wilts League U12 Division Three runners-up

Sunday 7th May 2017

With the North Wilts League season now complete, we take a look at our sides achieving honours this year and how they did it. We start with the Under 12 Blue side, who finished runners-up in North Wilts League Division Three.

North Wilts League Under 12 Division Three runners-up 2016/17

In their first season of competitive football, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Under 12 Blues sealed a magnificent second place in an exceptionally tight and entertaining North Wilts League Division Three.

In what was a three-way race for the top positions, they narrowly missed out on top spot too, finishing just three points behind eventual champions Wroughton Youth Blue.

Bassett were quick out of the blocks, recording a maximum nine points from their first three games.

In their opening fixture, Blunsdon were seen off 4-1 before they edged an eleven goal, attack frenzied thriller against Croft Juniors Blue by the odd goal. Their third triumph came in more conventional fashion, as Jacob Rendell-Haines bagged a hat-trick and Joey Warren a brace in a 6-1 victory against FC Chippenham Kestrels.

Their form slipped somewhat as autumn set in though. Consecutive 3-3 draws against Highworth Town Juniors 'H' and South Cerney – who would emerge as the third title encounter – were followed by defeat by the odd goal in five against Lydiard Millicent Juniors.

Warren and Edward Aitken would pick Bassett back up, however, scoring in another narrow victory against Croft.

That set in motion a run of lop-sided triumphs fuelled by the goals of potent strike-force Warren and Rendell-Haines.

Both scored hat-tricks – with Warren netting a fourth – in a 9-2 win at home against Wroughton before Robins White were seen off 7-0.

Joining them in the hat-trick stakes in the return fixture against FC Chippenham was Taiga Matsushima as Bassett recorded a 15-0 win. Highworth were then beaten 5-1 to make it five wins on the bounce.

There was to be frustration again against Lydiard Millicent though, with both attacks misfiring in a goalless draw.

Bassett rediscovered their form against Liden Community, winning 4-1 before falling to a 3-0 loss when South Cerney came to visit.

That wasn't the ideal preparation for a clash against nearest challengers Wroughton. But Rendell-Haines, Sam Burn, Oliver Dyer and Harvey Watkinson all scored as they prevailed by the odd goal in seven.

Bassett seemingly now had the upper hand in the title race, the result leaving them just a point behind Wroughton with a game in hand to play.

Yet that advantage was handed back a week later as Blunsdon inflicted a 5-2 defeat on Bassett.

Still, a 2-2 draw with Liden in their penultimate game and an awarded victory against Robins meant Bassett had a fine second place to celebrate at the end of the season.

Under 12 Blue Team Photo

Last modified on Sunday 7th May 2017 at 17:31.