Rylands Way, Saturday 18 October 2003

A scorching Sam Reason effort couldn't get Bassett a double over Tuffley as the woodwork and some near misses prevented either side from getting all three points. Reason volleyed in from twenty five yards on the quarter of an hour mark before Peter Thomas snuck in a goal eight minutes from half time.

Bassett pressured their opponents early on in the game and in the ninth minute Tony Macek came close with a bicycle kick from eighteen yards out from an Paul Patel free kick that the Tuffley defence couldn't deal with – Eric Barratt in the Tuffley goal denied Macek what would have been a spectacular goal.

Mark Simpkins danced through the Tuffley defence six minutes later but his shot from just outside the box shaved the post, going just wide.

All the pressure paid off when Bassett broke the deadlock on a quarter of an hour through Sam Reason, who intercepted a cross from the right hand side, and then volleyed with his left foot into the opposite corner of the goal; in the process Reason got his first goal for Bassett.

Tuffley came close five minutes on when Daryl Cook strode through the Bassett defence unchallenged only for his shot to be saved comfortably by Rich Stevens.

Bassett were in a groove at this point but allowed Tuffley another chance after half an hour had gone when Allen Tatton delivered a cross for Lee Driver-Dickerson whose header grazed the inside of the post and nearly went in, Rich Stevens had other plans though collecting the ball just as it was about to cross the goal line.

Bassett were dealt a blow soon after though when defensive stalwart Paul Davis limped off with an ankle injury – he was replaced by Richard Gee. Neil Bridges took over captaincy duties for the remainder of the game.

The change affected Bassett hugely and two minutes after Davis' substitution, Tuffley levelled when Thomas flicked a Driver-Dickerson corner into the back of the net giving Rich Stevens no chance.

One minute into stoppage time in the first half Gee chipped over the Tuffley defence to Geoff Swatton who volleyed over from fifteen yards. A minute later Tuffley had a good chance when Stevens tipped a Thomas shot from the edge of the area round the near post and out for a corner.

A minute into the second half Tuffley had their first chance of the second period when Gary Ash's shot from the edge of the area was comfortably collected by Stevens.

On fifty minutes Neil Bridges had a twenty yard effort spilled by Barratt at the other end; Tuffley comfortably cleared though.

Stevens was again called into action on 57 minutes when he saved a Stephen Summerell effort. This a minute before Bridges tried to lob Barratt from thirty yards but failing – putting the ball over – this after great pressure from Paul Patel on Barratt forced an error from the Tuffley shot-stopper.

In the 69th minute Thomas had a bicycle kick saved easily by Stevens before, six minutes later, Daryl Cook lobbed Stevens but the ball rebounded off the bar.

In the 76th minute Swatton had another chance after latching onto a Patel ball but Swatton hit wide of the mark. Bassett took the opportunity then to bring John Magani on – returning from injury to his eye – for goalscorer Sam Reason.

Bassett began to panic at the back causing errors and silly fouls. John Magani though nearly won the game for Bassett after eighty four minutes when he ran through the whole Tuffley defence twisting and turning his way through, proceeded to shoot from six yards only for the shot to come back out off the post. A minute later Steve Yeardley replaced Mark Simpkins.

A minute into stoppages referee Daniel Jones brought his first caution when Peter Thomas got a yellow for a bad foul on Tony Macek. From the free kick Neil Bridges flicked the ball onto the back post where Geoff Swatton headed in only for it to be ruled out because of offside.

Giler's Man of the Match: Neil Bridges – a great captain's performance.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Carl Taylor – calm and collected when in possession; battled hard all game.

Scoop Rating: 7/10 – A good performance – would have won had it not been for the woodwork. Defence also panicked after the injury to Paul Davis.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Thursday 3rd September 2020 at 10:26