Wellington, 12th September 2004

Wootton Bassett Town exited their third cup competition in eight days as Screwfix Division 1 side Wellington gave Bassett a 4-0 drubbing in the FA Vase preliminary round.

Early on, Paul Patel was booked for Bassett after hacking down Alexis Piper. In the eighth minute, Steve Bizley saved well from a Craig Aspin 30-yard free kick.

On ten minutes, John Norman had a shot from a tight angle tipped wide by Bizley before Wellington took the lead two minutes later.

Mark Brereton crossed in from the left and Norman played the ball back across goal for Leon Taswell to tap in.

Taswell came close again six minutes on as a free header of his went over from a deep cross by Aspin.

Bassett had a half chance on twenty minutes, Ben Gascoyne having a header comfortably saved by Pete Land following a Patel free kick.

In the 33rd minute, Bizley made a double save as he shut out both Norman and Taswell after spilling Norman's effort.

It was 2-0 on 35 minutes as a long range effort from Brendon Craggs deflected off Steve Yeardley, totally wrong footing Bizley, and into the back of the net.

Five minutes later and the home side were in total control as Taswell doubled his tally heading in easily from an Aspin set piece.

It could have been a Taswell hat trick before the break; he had a one-on-one opportunity after Craggs' through ball, but Bizley parried the shot away and the defence cleared.

Bassett came out in the second half hoping the slope and the wind would help them but in all honesty neither did.

Matthew Brereton had two chances early in the second period saved as did Gregg Hammond, whose header from an Aspin free kick was tipped over.

Bassett brought John Magani on for Ben Gascoyne in the 59th minute.

Bassett then got away with murder. Adam Greaney played a weak back pass towards Bizley, which Taswell intercepted, but his shot at an open goal hit the post when it would have been easier to score.

Mark King replaced Greaney two minutes later to search for a goal, but it was never going to come.

Seventeen minutes from time, Matt Bennett played a ball to Steve Yeardley who fired over from 18 yards.

Dave Tyler cleared a Taswell shot off the line in the 78th minute following an Aspin cross. Two minutes later, Lee Morse had a free kick tipped wide but that was the closest Bassett came.

Andy Hallett was booked in the third minute of stoppage time for tangling with Alexis Piper who played more like an actor for the ninety minutes. Piper scored from the free kick, his shot deflecting in off the wall from 25 yards.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Steve Yeardley – wanted the game more than anyone else and showed the desire that the other ten men on the pitch lacked.

Scoop Rating: 2/10 – A disgraceful performance which can only be described as useless. These competitions are important for the Club, but the message didn't seem to reach the players. Poor from start to finish.

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