Eynsham Park, 9th November 2002

Bassett ended their two game winning streak against North Leigh as they slumped to a 4-0 reverse on the same day that Scoop returned for his first game since his holiday to Canada (what a coincidence!).

I'd like to start this report by thanking John Reynolds for 'Scooping' while I was away. Cheers JR!

Bassett started the game with the Chuckle Brothers – Garbo and Bridges on the bench, giving Rob Day and Gary Ashford starts in attack.

Bassett were on the back foot for the first few minutes as North Leigh pushed up field. In the second minute of play North Leigh captain Gary Murphy crossed the ball in from the right wing where Adam Hamp connected with it but the ball was saved well by Steve Hale for Bassett.

North Leigh quickly gained possession back and seconds later a ball from Joe Burnell was not connected with in the Bassett penalty box.

In the fifth minute North Leigh took the lead when Adam Hamp looped the ball over a charging Steve Hale. Hamp scored again two minutes later when he connected with a Matt Ellis ball to head in.

Darren Maisey had an effort for North Leigh in the 10th minute but he whacked well wide.

Bassett got on the attack for the first time of the match when Stu Lamont's header clipped the bar from a Mark Simpkins corner.

North Leigh regained possession and, in the 22nd minute, they too hit the woodwork, when Sean Bott met a Maisey corner in the air only for the ball to hit the bar.

Bassett broke up field and Justin Hyde whipped in a cross from the right hand side, which, unfortunately for Bassett, wasn't met in the North Leigh area. Nick Tooley then had a good chance for Bassett but he shot inches wide.

Back came North Leigh and a Maisey corner was not cleared properly by Bassett but the effort on the rebound was well saved by Steve Hale.

North Leigh were still pushing and another Gary Murphy cross was connected with by Sean Bott in the area – the header ending up over the bar.

Rob Day hit wide for Bassett in the 36th minute before Paul Carson had a near miss – at the wrong end. A cross came in from the right and Carson stuck a foot out and the ball luckily trickled past the post and out for a corner.

Bassett pushed forward towards the end of the first half with good chances for Gary Ashford and Nick Tooley. North Leigh had Darren Maisey booked in the 40th minute for dissent.

Bassett were two-down at the half-time whistle, but had had some good opportunities.

North Leigh started the second half as well as they did in the first. Within 3 minutes of the restart Harry Burnley scored from a Darren Maisey through-ball.

North Leigh continued to push before Rob Day hit wide for Bassett in the 53rd minute from a Mark Simpkins free kick. North Leigh brought the impressive Darren Maisey off in the 57th minute for youngster Nick Forrester to get a run out.

Steve Hale was forced to make a good save in the 60th minute when he made a point blank save to deny North Leigh their fourth.

Bassett made a double change a minute later bringing Paul Garbutt and Rob Hopkins on for Mark Hammond and Justin Hyde.

A Bassett break followed in the 67th minute when a Nick Tooley cross was not connected with in the box.

North Leigh made a counter attack following this and Stuart Huxley grabbed North Leigh's fourth of the game. North Leigh continued to put pressure on the Bassett defence when in the 75th minute Sean Bott blasted over.

Paul Garbutt had a good chance for Bassett in the same minute but his shot was saved. North Leigh had Sean Bott booked a minute later for a stamping incident on Mark Simpkins, which saw Simpkins get booked as well.

Bassett continued to press for a goal after this incident when Paul Garbutt missed the resulting free kick. Nick Tooley continued to impress with his crosses, which were just missing someone to get on the end of them. Garbutt had another chance to score on 80 minutes when he shot wide.

Bassett brought Neil Bridges on for Rob Day in the 81st minute to try and get a consolation goal but they couldn't get that elusive goal and slumped to their sixth defeat of the season.

Managers Man of the Match: Paul Carson

Scoop's Man of the Match: Rob Day

Scoop Rating: 6/10 – A day of misfortunes for Bassett but it wasn't their worst day at the office.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 2nd September 2020 at 09:07