Kayte Lane, Saturday 3 January 2004

Bishops Cleeve's dynamic duo of Pete Moss and Kevin Slack provided enough firepower to see off a highly spirited Bassett in a game in which both physio and referee were busy.

Neither team were able to create any clean cut chances early on with numerous half chances going to waste for both teams. Moss had the first good chance of the game, connecting with a Wes Green free kick but was unable to test Rich Stevens in the Bassett goal.

In the 23rd minute Bassett had a great opportunity to grab the lead when Rich Willis headed on a Nathan Hall free kick but no one was there to add the final touch and put the ball in the back of the net.

Bassett had their first player booked a minute later – Mark Vaughan for a late but innocuous challenge. This before a Geoff Swatton chip from the edge of the area failed to catch Dan Logan off his line, Paul Patel supplying the ball.

Ten minutes before the break Tony Macek received a caution for another late lunge, the resulting free kick providing the opening goal. The deep free kick picked out Slack whose shot was parried by the oncoming Stevens only for Moss to tap in the rebound from ten yards.

Steve Cheal was then booked for a two footed challenge on Steve Yeardley, for which Cheal could have gone for an early shower. Rich Willis was then cautioned for dissent for Bassett for arguing the referee's decision of just a booking for Cheal.

Nathan Hall had to be brought off on the stroke of half time – Ben Gascoyne his replacement after Hall was on the receiving end of another Cleeve foul – this time no booking.

Four minutes after the restart Matt Walker hit just wide after Moss laid back a stray cross from the left.

In the 64th minute a good one-two between Gascoyne and Geoff Swatton provided the latter with a good opportunity but Gascoyne struck wide from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later, another booking, this time Andy Tucker for an elbow, initially unnoticed by the referee on Stu Lamont who was just back from Hogmanay.

Twenty minutes from time Slack was presented with a good chance but he hit wide again. Bassett brought Justin Hyde on for John Magani a minute later.

On 76 minutes a long range strike from John Hills was nearly spilled by Rich Stevens but he recovered the loose ball preventing Cleeve from a scoring opportunity. Three minutes later substitute Russell Wilton steered a shot wide from eighteen yards.

Matt Walker was booked for a foul on Stevens nine minutes from the end and he was joined in the book two minutes later by Wilton for a foul that took Mark Vaughan out of the game, Lee Morse was Vaughan's replacement.

Walker headed just over from an Andy Tucker free kick in the 89th minute. Kevin Slack finished the game off four minutes on, capitalizing on a Rich Willis slip he buried the ball past Stevens from fifteen yards out.

Bassett had one last chance when Justin Hyde played in Stewart Bellinger but the ball rolled wide from Bellinger's shot.

A six pointer lies ahead next week for Bassett against Pegasus but before that an away trip to Pewsey in the County Cup.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Paul Patel – a bald effort, worked hard all game apart from his set pieces.

Scoop Rating: 7/10 – a good performance but a lack of finish in front of goal (yet again) cost Bassett dear.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Friday 4th September 2020 at 15:51