Rylands Way, Tuesday 16 March 2004

Goals from Steve Bunting and Geoff Swatton secured Bassett a brilliant win over fellow strugglers Shortwood to close the gap at the bottom and remove one of those nails from the aledged relegation coffin. Ben Newman got the only goal for the visitors.

Ian Gill made some fine saves in the early stages of the game to keep Shortwood from taking the lead. On twelve minutes, he tipped a long range effort over the bar and three minutes later he tipped over an attempted clearance from Steve Bunting.

Mark Griffiths tried his luck from range in the 23rd minute when he lobbed Gill but the ball went narrowly wide.

Bassett had their first real chance of the game on 25 minutes, Ewan Prentice failed to hang on to a Bunting free kick but he recovered the ball before Geoff Swatton could reach it. Bunting found himself booked a minute later for a late challenge on Griffiths.

On the half hour mark Swatton should have opened the scoring after taking the ball round Prentice but his shot went across the face of the goal.

Four minutes later Shortwood took the lead when Ben Newman converted a Griffiths cross after the Bassett defence stood off.

Gill was forced into action again six minutes later when he saved from Chris Davis after Davis beat Mark Vaughan.

Bassett had Steve Yeardley booked for a slightly late challenge in first half stoppage time.

Geoff Swatton got Bassett on level terms two minutes after the restart as he scored from six yards out from a Rob Hopkins throw in.

In the 55th minute Gill again tipped a shot over the bar this time from the goalscorer Newman.

Bassett took the lead for good in the 61st minute when Bunting put away a Swatton ball after taking it round Prentice.

A minute later the creator Swatton could have further increased the lead after a superb ball from Matty Bennett set him up but the forward put the ball just wide.

John Magani came close two minutes later as his shot forced a great save from Prentice after another ball from Bennett.

Magani fired wide again in the 67th minute when good work by Rob Hopkins found Bennett who found Magani in the box but he fired wide of the target.

Bassett were in for a tense last twenty minutes and Shortwood had half chance after half chance but couldn't find an equaliser.

First, nine minutes from time, Gill easily held Chris Davis' 30 yard free kick. Two minutes later Magani cleared a James Singh corner off the line after Singh had rose unmarked from a corner.

Bassett secured their first win since November in what was a huge game in trying to resurrect their season.

Giler's Man of the Match: All eleven

Scoop Rating: 10/10 – A huge win for both pride and league position. Now all Bassett need to do is build on this and stringing together some wins.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 5th September 2020 at 15:11