Western Way, 20th September 2003

Steve Yeardley and Rob Hopkins were sent off as some controversial refereeing condemned Bassett to an early exit from the FA Vase as they lost out 4-1 in a "one sided game". Mark Vaughan had put Bassett ahead before Bemerton Heath added four goals – two of which were very dubious – to put Bassett out.

Bassett were much the better team in the first half and this showed with the amount of chances they had. Dave Jones came close five minutes into the game when he shot from the edge of the area but Scott Kemmis saved. Five minutes later Bemerton had their first chance when an unmarked Ian Chalk headed wide a Darren Turner cross.

Geoff Swatton had another good chance for Bassett as he bicycle kicked over a Carl Taylor corner on fifteen minutes, before hitting just wide a minute later from the edge of the area.

Steve Yeardley received the first caution of the game when he was booked for a foul on Andy Chainey. Jones had another chance a minute after the booking when he weaved his way through the Bemerton defence to create an opportunity but he hit a weak shot straight at Kemmis who saved, this after brilliant work by Carl Taylor.

Bassett continued to apply pressure and on twenty three minutes a Yeardley ball was connected with by Matty Bennett in the air but the header was saved. Bemerton countered from this and a ball across was played to Turner who ran into the box only for Yeardley to cancel out his chance. A minute later Turner headed wide another switched ball.

Bemerton had a player booked eighteen minutes from half time when Paul Palmer was booked for a foul on Paul Patel.

On the half hour a mistake by Kemmis fell to Geoff Swatton who had a twenty yard shot saved after brilliant work by Matt Bennett to force the mistake. Paul Davis was then booked for Bassett for a foul a minute later.

Bassett took the lead on thirty four minutes when Geoff Swatton played in Mark Vaughan who chipped over Kemmis from ten yards out. Two minutes later Kemmis kept Bennett out after he struck from the edge of the area forcing a cracking save from the Bemerton 'keeper. Bennett and Swatton had two more chances before Bemerton tested Bassett.

Two minutes from the break a Adam Nash shot from a free kick laid back to him took a deflection and was saved well by Rich Stevens. Then three minutes later it was 1-1 when a long ball fell at Chalk's feet who got past Paul Davis and put the ball past Stevens.

Drama unfolded two minutes later deep into injury time when Steve Yeardley received his marching orders for an off the ball incident which the referee said was obstruction which isn't a book able offence. Bassett went into the break a man down and tied at one all.

The sending off changed the game around in the second half as Bemerton gained momentum and took advantage of being a man up.

On fifty minutes Turner and Chalk combined again as the latter had a head saved from Chalk's cross. A minute later and the ref was digging into his pocket again as Geoff Swatton got booked for dissent.

On 52 minutes an unmarked Chalk made a run into the box and headed over a Nathan Renyard corner.

Two minutes later Geoff Swatton was clean through on goal and the last man Adam Nash dragged him down just outside the box which should have brought out a straight red but Nash only received a yellow. This was to change the game as it should have been 1-1 with ten on each side.

In the 61st minute a Mark Vaughan header was deflected wide following a Matty Bennett ball. Seven minutes before Vaughan was booked for tripping.

Once again, in the 71st minute, Swatton was clean through on goal and was brought down by the last man but this time there was no free kick. This a minute before Chalk got another goal as Rich Stevens couldn't get hold of the ball, punched it off the line but the ball was deemed by the linesman, who wasn't up with play, to have crossed the line. This brought an argument with the linesman and from this Rob Hopkins was sent off for shouting abusive language – which no one heard – at the linesman involved in the incident.

Bassett then brought Neil Bridges on in the 75th minute for Dave Jones to put a bit more speed on the pitch. Five minutes later and Ben Gascoyne replaced Paul Patel.

In the 82nd minute Chalk came close again as he headed a Renyard corner over. Bassett made their final change a minute later when Andy Hallett replaced Paul Davis.

Bemerton increased their lead in the 84th minute when Carl Jones was found with the ball in a clear offside position but play carried on and Jones slotted past Stevens to make it three.

Three minutes from time it was four – one Bemerton as substitute Jason Ahmet scored from a Stu Findley cross after Stevens spilled Ahmet's shot.

Stevens denied Ahmet a minute into stoppage time as he tipped a shot from Ahmet wide. Bassett crashed out the FA Vase at the first hurdle for the second year running but this time it was poor decisions that had allowed Bemerton to win. In a game of two sendings off and five bookings it was hard to recall one single nasty incident and the card count certainly did not reflect the way the game had been played, only the performance of the referee. Scoop made his feelings known by texting 606 on Radio 5 Live but unfortunately the message was not read out on air!

Scoop's Man of the Match: Rich Willis – consistent throughout and made some clinical challenges to deny more goals.

Scoop Rating: 7/10 – Best Bassett have played for a long time, continually threatening Bemerton with the pace upfront.

Last modified on Monday 22nd June 2015 at 23:38