Saturday 14th November 2026
A trio of Wiltshire County Cup quarter finals saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town Under 12 and 15 Girls march on to the last four, while the Under 14s suffered an agonising exit.
What a fantastic day for Royal Wootton Bassett's U12s, with a brilliant 3-1 County Cup victory against a strong Develop FC Tigresses side!
A massive well done to every single one of the girls. This was certainly one of those proud moments for the coaching team, and a performance that showed just how far this team has come.
Before kick-off, the message from the coaches was clear: the girls needed to be switched on and fully locked in from the very first whistle. Too often, games can be made difficult by allowing the opposition to want it more, particularly in those early stages. Today, however, the girls listened, took that message on board and delivered exactly what was asked of them.
After the opening five minutes, Develop FC probably didn't know what had hit them!
Bassett came flying out of the blocks, setting the tempo, showing their intent and putting their opponents under immediate pressure.
Develop FC struggled to recover from that early intensity, with the girls doing a fantastic job of maintaining their focus and control throughout.
The goals came from Emilie and Mya, who grabbed herself a fantastic brace, but this was very much a team performance. Every player played their part, working hard for one another, following instructions and showing the determination needed to win a cup tie against a strong opponent.
Special mention must also go to the starting substitutes, who had a difficult job coming into a game that was already being played at such a high intensity. They did brilliantly, slotting straight in, maintaining the team's shape and ensuring the momentum never dropped.
Today's awards went to Freya and Emilie, who were named joint Players of the Match for their outstanding performances.
Both girls were exceptional, carrying out some very specific instructions from the coaching team to perfection. Their understanding of their roles, work rate and overall contribution were exactly what was needed, and they thoroughly deserved the recognition.
Mya also received Develop FC's Player of the Match award, which was thoroughly deserved following her excellent performance and two goals.
Although these players deserve special recognition, every single girl deserves a huge amount of credit. It was a complete team effort, with everyone contributing to a fantastic result.
The girls can be incredibly proud of what they've achieved today. This victory is a reward for all the hard work, commitment and continued progress this team has shown.
Performances like this don't happen by accident. They are built on hard work in training, trust in one another and a willingness to listen, learn and keep improving.
It was also a fantastic afternoon for the Under 15s, who booked their place in the County Cup semi-finals with a dominant performance and an excellent victory 10-1 over Nalgo Sports Wolves.
Bassett were strong from the beginning, getting the ball down, playing with confidence and producing some really good football. The girls started brightly, showing great intent and putting their opponents under pressure from the outset.
Defensively, Bassett were also excellent, dealing particularly well with the balls played over the top. There were a couple of moments that could have caused concern, but the back line remained organised and dealt with the danger well, meaning Chloe had a relatively quiet morning between the sticks.
At the other end, Bassett were clinical, with a combination of well-taken individual efforts and some fantastic team goals ensuring they maintained control of the game.
Mia was in outstanding form, helping herself to four goals. Her afternoon included two brilliant solo efforts, a superb free kick and another goal after getting on the end of an excellent Ava assist.
Ava also enjoyed a fantastic game, scoring two brilliant solo goals of her own, while Poppy showed great strength and determination to create an opportunity for herself and finish with a goal that was thoroughly deserved.
Alisa added another with a superb finish into the top corner following some brilliant build-up play.
The goals continued into the second half, with Eryn getting on the scoresheet after being set up by Alisa. There was also a particularly special moment for Sophia, who marked her debut with her first Bassett goal! Some excellent work out wide from Sienna created the opportunity, and Sophia made no mistake in finishing it off. A brilliant moment for both players.
With the game firmly under control, the coaching team were able to make plenty of changes and give valuable minutes to the squad. There was a slight lapse in concentration during the changes, allowing Nalgo Wolves to grab a consolation goal, but it did little to take away from what was an excellent overall performance.
Today's Players of the Match were Elsie and Mia, both recognised for their outstanding performances. Mia's four-goal contribution will understandably grab the headlines, but Elsie was equally deserving of recognition for her strong performance and contribution to the team's success.
This was a fantastic all-round performance from Bassett, combining quality football, strong defending, individual brilliance and excellent teamwork.
The result means the girls have secured their place in the County Cup semi-finals, a brilliant achievement and one they should all be incredibly proud of.
It was not the result the Under 14s were hoping for as they made the short trip to face their local nemesis, FC Abbey Meads Blue, in the County Cup quarter final, coming away with a 5-1 defeat.
It was very much a game of two halves, and for large parts of the first half, Bassett more than held their own.
Abbey Meads took the lead after just 10 minutes with a long-range effort that sailed over Tia to make it 1-0. Bassett responded well, though, with some strong challenges going in from both sides and plenty of determination on show.
A few changes were made, with Jess coming on up front to put the Abbey Meads defenders and goalkeeper under pressure, and that decision soon paid off!
Jess did brilliantly to close the keeper down, forcing a mistake, and the ball fell kindly to Gracie on the left, who made no mistake in slotting it home. A lovely finish to make it 1-1, which was how the first half finished.
Unfortunately, the second half was a different story. Bassett made a change in goal, with Amelia coming on, but Abbey Meads also made a few changes of their own and came out firing.
Around 15 minutes into the half, Abbey Meads regained the lead following a goalmouth scramble to make it 2-1. The pressure was beginning to take its toll on Bassett, who perhaps were starting to run out of steam.
Despite further changes from the management team, Bassett just couldn't find a way back into the game. Abbey Meads took full advantage, punishing them with another three quick goals to make it 5-1, which is how the game finished.
Bassett have to hold their hands up and admit that Abbey Meads were the better side on the day. They seemed to want the win that little bit more, and it's important to be honest enough to recognise that.
However, one result doesn't define this team. The Under 14s are a fantastic football team, and the management team genuinely believe that sometimes the girls just need a little more confidence in their own ability and, more importantly, in the football they know they're capable of playing.
There are lessons to be learned from the match, and that's exactly what the team will do. They'll take the positives, work on the things that need improving and come back stronger. Every team has difficult days, but it's how they respond that matters.
Player of the Match went to Olivia. Despite coming off the pitch feeling she hadn't played particularly well, the management team saw things very differently. Honestly, the scoreline could have been a lot worse if it hadn't been for her. Once again, Liv was solid at the back, making some really important tackles and putting in an incredible shift with her endless running. She never stopped working for the team and fully deserved the recognition.
Last modified on Saturday 14th November 2026 at 21:25.