Rylands Way, 15th February 2003

Forget the fifth round of the FA Cup; this was the Wilts Senior Cup Quarter Finals for Bassett and Calne Town from the Screwfix Direct Division One. A tough draw against teams higher up the Non-League Pyramid was up for grabs and if you could get past that a trip to the County Ground for the final.

Bassett came into the game giving new signing Paul Feeley – who impressed Scoop - his debut. Bassett were without regulars Rob Hopkins (injury), Ben Gascoyne and Mark Simpkins (work); these players were replaced by Dave Turner and Tony Macek who were both returning from injuries.

Calne – who are flying high in the Screwfix Division One West in third place – would be tough opposition for Bassett in what was to be an aggressive game.

Bassett had Stu Lamont booked for dissent inside the first ten minutes for arguing with referee Mark Edmonds over a decision against Bassett.

Bassett were the team to create the first openings in the match and came close three times in five minutes. A good, looping Danny Clayton shot was dealt with first by Darryl Simms in the Calne goal on ten minutes then, three minutes later, a Clayton ball put Nick Tooley through but Tooley hit wide.

On 15 minutes another Clayton through ball put Paul Clegg in on goal for Bassett's best chance of the half, but Clegg's shot was well saved by Simms.

Calne began to put Bassett on the back foot and were nearly allowed through on goal in the 23rd minute but Mark Vaughan denied James Lye to get in a scoring position with a brilliantly timed sliding tackle.

Bassett and Calne continued to have chances in what was a dull first half before on 41 minutes James Lye was denied by Rich Stevens as Stevens tipped Lye's header wide for a corner.

Gary Smart nearly put one past Stevens from the resulting corner as he blasted a shot from the edge of the area but it was saved well by Stevens.

A minute later at the other end Nick Tooley headed over a Paul Feeley ball when Calne 'keeper Daryl Simms was stranded ten yards off his line.

It was still deadlocked at the break but both teams could have at least got a goal in the first half.

The second half was a scrappy affair like the first with tempers flaring and some patchy football played.

The first chance of the half fell to Danny Clayton in the 48th minute when he hit over from ten yards out following a Paul Clegg ball. Bassett had another chance in the 50th minute when Nick Tooley hit wide on the turn from the edge of the area.

Calne's first chance of the second half came on the hour mark when Glenn Armstrong headed over from a Martyn Wheeler cross.

Bassett's first change came a minute later when Nick Tooley was replaced by Justin Hyde. Calne took the lead in the 65th minute when Matt Pratley slid a low cross in from six yards out past Rich Stevens.

Gary Ashford had a chance straight after the restart when he headed wide from Paul Feeley ball.

The match turned sour in the 68th minute when Calne were awarded a free kick a mini scuffle started near the halfway line involving half of each side including Calne's goalkeeper! Captains Stu Lamont and Mike Garcia were called over to the referee and were told to keep their teams under control.

Bassett brought Dave Turner on for Paul Clegg on seventy minutes to try and get a goal. Calne had Glenn Armstrong booked on seventy-seven minutes for a foul on Steve Yeardley. Five minutes later the ref got his notebook out again as he booked Paul Feeley for a late challenge fifteen yards inside Calne's half and then, a minute from time, he booked Dave Jones for a two footed challenge before booking Mark Vaughan for protesting against the referee's decision.

Calne had the final chance of the game on ninety minutes when Glenn Armstrong hit wide from a free kick twenty five yards out.

Bassett crashed out of another cup but still have a chance of winning the RPM Supplementary Cup when they play Didcot on Saturday, before that though, they face Yate Town away.

Giler's Man of the Match: Steve Yeardley

Scoop's Man of the Match: Danny Clayton

Scoop Rating: 6/10 – An average performance but again some slack marking and poor finishing by Bassett.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 2nd September 2020 at 10:19