Ardley were back to full strength on Saturday and obviously showing it - so who will bet against them winning this trophy for a fourth time?
The final score, though, flattered them somewhat and could have been different had Bassett had a stroke of luck in the 18th minute. However, the visitors caught Bassett cold straight from the kick-off. They set off on fire and there was nothing much Bassett could do about it. Pushed back by the nature of these attacks, the hosts were one down within two minutes. One sweeping move, which saw the ball switched right, resulted in a Wright's cross which Andy Parsons smashed past Read.
Five minutes later, they were two down. In a very similar move, this time it was Mark Towell who gave Read no chance. Things might have changed from them on as Bassett got their act together, looking to get back into the game. In the 17th and 18th minutes they had two kicked off the line. Both times the keeper was beaten but due to good defending they were kept out.
As it was Ardley went further ahead. A superb strike by Keith Holmes in the 25th minute from all of 20 yards screamed into the top corner. Even then, Bassett didn't let up and tried to get back, but they had no joy. On 37 minutes, Parsons got his second. This was again from close in and Read had no chance.
Still Bassett refused to give up and were rewarded in the 42nd minute. Ardley failed to clear the ball from a cross and Lee Stoddart, steaming into the area, fired an unstoppable shot into the net to leave them 4-1 down at half time.
The home side had nothing to lose and came out fighting. They were troubling Ardley with Stoddart's and Newton's pace and on 65th minutes, they pulled another back. This time, Stoddart outpaced the defence and put in a cross that Ardley could only half-clear. It was Peter Dearlove who gratefully picked up the ball and hit it into the net.
Then in the 67th minute, things went really pear-shaped for Basset. Two Ardley forwards and keeper Read all went for the ball just outside the six-yard box and one of the front runners went sprawling. It certainly looked as if he had been tripped by his teammate, but the referee deemed that Read was the culprit and Fraser Gills duly converted the resulting penalty.
In the 83rd minute it all went horribly wrong. Read pulled of a superb save - but he was two yards outside the box. Despite much protesting by Ardley players for the referee not to send him off, Read was ordered to walk. Lawrence Smith took over between the sticks and did well while Ardley then withdrew one of their players, but still got another goal. This time a low cross from the right found Keith Homes and he stuck away his second and Ardley's sixth.
Credit: John Reynolds
Last modified on Saturday 2nd January 2021 at 12:58
