Last Saturday saw Bassett travelling to Oxfordshire for the last of a long line of away games – and a tough one at that for Kidlington has not been a favourite ground for the visitors in recent seasons.

Bassett started confidently enough passing the ball around well. It was not long before a strong Kidlington side got to grip with the game although Bassett did have a goal disallowed after six minutes when the referee adjudged that Davis had fouled the keeper.

After Kidlington's third successive corner, they scrambled home the only goal of the game. Poor defending when the ball should have been easily cleared allowed them to score in the bottom right-hand corner.

The Wiltshire squad readjusted the system and slowly worked their way back into the game. In fact, on 21 minutes Stoddart had the chance to bring the scores level but completely missed his shot when only three yards out. And Bassett finished the half the stronger with Giles, Davis and Flavell holding the side together.

Without doubt the second half belonged to Bassett. On 46 minutes , Machell flashed a shot just past a post and then three minutes later, the keeper pulled off a great save from Stoddart. Now Bassett were now on top and causing an opposition, currently fourth in the table, no end of problems.

On 66 minutes, came their best move of the game. Newton delivered a perfect cross from the left to Stoddart who met it on the volley from five yards out. To Bassett's utmost despair, the Kidlington keeper pulled off a miraculous save. But worse followed when Stoddart put the rebound wide.

Bassett laid siege to the Kidlington goal but their just reward was not to be. In a rare Kidlington attack Reid – who had been a spectator for most of the second half – pulled off a great save from a point blank header. Although disappointed, Bassett could feel that, on this performance, the best side on had come second on the day.

Credit: John Reynolds
Last modified on Saturday 2nd January 2021 at 11:54