BASSETT failed to make it the League Cup Final by the narrowest of margins on Saturday when a penalty shoot-out decided their ultimate fate.

Two goals adrif after the first leg the previous weekend at Harrow Hill, Bassett had a fight on their hands, and fight they did. From the kick-off, they took the game to Harrow - and how!

Those spectators who arrived late through the gate wished they had been earlier as the home side cut the deficit to one goal inside live minutes and had put the equaliser into the visitors' net only four minutes later.

Playing some of their best football of the season, Bassett had Harrow defenders running all ways.

The first goal, scored by Scott Vincent, was lovely football and a brilliant strike by the forward. A superb through ball by Dominic Franklin put Vincent clear and his shot from 18 yards fairly flew into the roof of the net.

Minutes later they were level. Another great ball, this time from Gary Ashford, saw Peter Dearlove clear whose shot from 12 yards gave Hart no chance.

The game then slowed down a bit as Bassett consolidated and Harrow came to terms with a real prospect of going out of the cup

Hale, in the Bassett goal, had not been bothered much - but for one effort he just managed to push on to the bar.

A RARE MISTAKE

But the 44th minute brought disaster for Bassett. That most reliable and commanding of players, Barry Giles, made a mistake and let in Clayton Hook

His rather weak shot hit a divot in front of the diving Hale and Harrow were back in the lead on aggregate.

The second half, though, proved a bit of an anti-climax with Harrow naturally hanging on to what they had, and Bassett trying to find at least one more goal to go into extra time.

So it became stalemate. That is until the 79th minute when a doctor goal you will not see.

Bassett, under pressure, saw Barry Giles a good 50 yards or more from Harrow's goal, belt and the ball out of danger.

The ball flew over the heads of the midfield and bounced just outside the six-yard box

What should have been * relatively simple catch for the keeper saw it hit his hands, go over his head and into the net.

But for Bassett, this was the vital goal that was to take the game into extra time.

However, neither period of extra time had much to add to the encounter. Harrow, though,

probably came closest to pinching it.

Even so, the longer it went on the more it became clear that it was going to be decided on penalties. And so it was was that Harrow won through when they converted three.

four penalties to Franklin, Newton and Ben Parsons converted these for Bassett

and Marshall, Meek. Woodroffe and Hoor for Harrow,

If it's any consolation, Bassett fought splendidly in defeat and hope that Harrow do well in their final against Ardley

Credit: John Reynolds
Last modified on Monday 25th January 2021 at 14:19