Tithe Farm Social Club, 26th February 2005

Rayners Lane produced a shock as they deservedly won 2-0 against Wootton Bassett Town in the second round of the Supplementary Cup. It was a dreadful display by Bassett, who mustered only one shot on goal all game and put in what was their worst performance all season.

Bassett were over-confident going into the match and saw an easy victory before the match against their Division One East opponents. The side lacked cohesion throughout and, after their decent run of form, thought it would be a walkover.

The first half produced little – only the back streets of London and the last five minutes of the first 45 for Scoop – as Steve Yeardley came closest but he only managed to hit over.

It was their London opponents who came closest when Michael Mair pounced on an Ian Gill parry but shot over from ten yards.

In the second half, Bassett failed to trouble Lane 'keeper Tim Piper as continuous balls over the top were snuffed out by the London sides defence or landed straight in the arms of Piper. When Bassett did try and play the ball on the floor and go forward the offside flag stopped the visitors going anywhere and it seemed as though Rayners Lane were always going to win this tie.

In the 56th minute, Danny Mills headed in the first, rising unmarked to redirect a perfect ball from Graham Small into the far corner past the helpless Gill.

Tunde Olagunju was handed the perfect chance to double the lead with seven minutes left but he mistimed his shot and sent the ball wide from fifteen yards.

Two minutes later, Rayners Lane killed off the game when Darren Gardiner struck in. Small squared to Mills, who fired from twenty yards only for Gill to produce a good save and parry the ball but Gardiner followed up, anticipating the parry unlike the Bassett defence, and tapped in from eight yards.

In stoppage time Simon Hordern failed make it three as he fired just over from the edge of the area. This game taught a lesson to Bassett who face Bishops Cleeve away on Wednesday and cannot afford to put in a performance like this one against Cleeve or the score would reach double figures.

Scoop Rating: 3/10 – A dismal performance lacking teamwork and effort. The side never looked like troubling the goal and deserved what they got.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Friday 11th September 2020 at 10:00