Bicester Sports Ground Saturday August 30 2003

Bassett fell to Bicester Town, ending their recent run of good form, thanks to a Paul Darch goal in a lacklustre performance by Bassett. This after Bassett came into this game on a high after great results against North Leigh and Didcot.

No doubt this result will disappoint Stu Lamont over in sunny Basra who has, I understand, been keeping up to date with how the season has been going via our website. Hopefully it will not be long before we see the big man back in a Bassett shirt at Rylands Way.

Captain Rob Hopkins came closest first of all for Bassett after six scrappy minutes on a very uneven pitch when he hit wide with a left foot shot following a decent run. Neither team had started well, but the next chance again fell to Bassett.

The in-form, and Player of the Month for August, John Magani put through Geoff Swatton who thundered a shot at goal that was parried by Stephen Lewis for Bicester straight to Magani in front of an open goal but he shot wide when it looked like a certain goal.

In the twentieth minute, Bicester got on the offensive and Lee Durrant crossed the ball into Paul Darch whose shot was smothered by Darren Curtis in the Bassett goal and Bassett averted danger. Darch came close three minutes later when he headed wide a Steve Ayris free kick.

Swatton had another chance for Bassett on the half hour mark when he latched onto a Lee Morse ball but Swatton's thirty yard attempt went wide.

Bicester were granted another chance in the 34th minute when Jim Hamilton hammered over from ten yards out. A minute later, Bassett were on the counter attack when Mark Vaughan put Matty Bennett through but Bennett's ball could pick neither Magani nor Swatton out in the box. Rob Hopkins followed up with the rebound after the ball was half cleared but Hopkins kick was saved from twenty five yards out.

Lee Morse nearly caught Bicester 'keeper Steve Lewis just before the break when his powerful shot was fisted onto the bar by the vulnerable Lewis after a great Rich Willis ball. Morse was again involved in the action a minute later when Mark Vaughan headed his corner wide. Bassett went into the break deadlocked but it could have been three-nil if chances had been converted.

Geoff Swatton came close first in the second half when three minutes after the restart he shot over from the edge of the area. Then three minutes later Bicester came close again as Jim Hamilton blasted a shot at Darren Curtis but Curtis held on to the ball.

Bassett were forced to make a change in the 53rd minute Paul Davis turned on his ankle and had to be replaced by Tony Macek. Magani came close five minutes later as Geoff Swatton raced past the Bicester defence to put in an excellent cross but Magani headed just wide.

On 65 minutes, Lee Durrant had a good chance for Bicester but he could only hit wide from a distance. Three minutes later and a fracas had broken out between James Fleming of Bicester and Carl Taylor of Bassett – both receiving cautions for their actions in the scuffle after a silly foul on the edge of Bassett's area.

On 75 minutes referee Baldwin had to reach again into his pocket as Paul Darch was booked for a dangerous foul on Mark Vaughan. Bassett made the decision to make another change at this point as Sam Reason replaced Matt Bennett.

Two minutes on and Lee Morse had a shot saved from twenty five yards for Bassett before Ben Gascoyne came on to replace Danny Clayton who had picked up a knock.

Bassett were threatening to break the deadlock but seven minutes from time a Bassett attack broke down in midfield and Paul Darch led a Bicester breakaway and Darch coolly lobbed Darren Curtis from twenty five yards out to put Bicester ahead against the run of play. Bassett never looked like coming back after this as attack after attack broke down because someone or other wanted to get the glory themselves and didn't pass when team mates were better placed. So Bassett fell back down to earth with a poor showing against what was not a good Bicester side for their second loss of the year.

Manager's Man of the Match: Rich Willis

Scoop's Man of the Match: Rich Willis – showed vision in the centre of midfield and was the only one on the pitch giving 110% to try getting Bassett something from a poor performance.

Scoop Rating: 4/10 – A poor result meaning the results against North Leigh and Didcot come to nothing now. Bassett need to show their worth now against Bishops Cleeve and Fairford.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Thursday 3rd September 2020 at 08:53