Monday 22nd July 2019

The start of the 2019-20 Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division season will see Royal Wootton Bassett Town visit Holmer Green before a home derby against Shrivenham.

Sam Collier's team will make the journey to face Holmer Green, entering their second season in the Hellenic League, on Saturday 3rd August (3pm kick off).

A single point separated the teams last season, with Bassett finishing tenth, two places above the Greens.

However, Bassett had the better of their head-to-head meetings.

The initial encounter in Buckinghamshire saw Bassett fall behind in the opening minute before impressive strikes from Nick Stanley and Brad Pagliaroli gave the visitors a 2-1 lead at the break. However, Holmer Green registered a last minute equaliser to earn a share of the spoils.

Bassett then dominated the return fixture in Wiltshire at the end of March, triumphing 4-2 courtesy of a Pagliaroli brace and further goals from Danny Lachacz and Elias Youssef.

Collier's side return home for their second fixture of this year's campaign. And it will be a crunch early season test against local rivals Shrivenham on Tuesday 6th August (7.45pm kick off).

Shrivenham recorded their highest ever league position in 2018-19 as they finished an impressive fifth. That was in large part down to a phenomenal seventeen game unbeaten run stretching from November to April.

They also achieved the double over Bassett, having previously failed to register a victory in six league meetings.

A controversial Josh Morse penalty proved the only goal of the game when Shrivenham visited the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground at the end of August. They then triumphed 2-0 on Boxing Day in the return fixture.

Last modified on Monday 22nd July 2019 at 13:38.