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Sublime Slimbridge Just too Good

Rylands Way, Saturday 19th March 2005

Slimbridge put five past a dire Wootton Bassett Town, further denting Bassett's survival hopes.

The visitors were ahead inside four minutes although an Ian Gill save denied a header from Mike Symons with just two minutes on the clock.

Tom Radcliffe put the high-flyers in front when his shot from the edge of the area took a deflection and into the back of the net after a failed clearance by the Bassett defence.

Symons brought another save out of Gill on eleven minutes with the Bassett 'keeper diving to his right to stop a 20-yard effort.

Bassett got some respite from the relentless Slimbridge pressure midway through the first half when Rich Willis came close, heading over a good cross from Chris Mills.

Gill again denied Symons in the 22nd minute after Symons shot on the half volley at the far post following a cross from Edward Ward.

With 37 minutes on the clock, a Rob Hopkins own goal doubled the deficit. Hopkins connected with a header from a Jon Embling ball and the ball sailed in over the headed of the stranded Gill.

Matt Green struck the crossbar with a header before a Gill mistake gifted the third for Slimbridge with four minutes to go before the break.

Embling sent a ball over the top, which Gill came to claim but missed and Radcliffe tapped in after snatching the ball off of fellow forward Symons.

Ten minutes after the break and Slimbridge continued their dominance. A quick throw from 'keeper Ryan Chandler set free Embling down the left and his cross found Green at the far post. Green rifled a shot in from twelve yards off the legs of Leigh Jones and into the back of the net.

Mark King shot wide from 25-yards in the 58th minute for Bassett before Slimbridge were awarded a controversial penalty when Rob Hopkins clipped Julian Freeman in the box; Freeman coolly slotted the ball into the far corner, condemning Bassett to another drubbing.

It was exhibition stuff from Slimbridge and it could have been six with 67 minutes on the clock but Gill pulled off a point-blank save, which he didn't know much about, from James Darby.

Steve Yeardley came closest for Bassett with 20 minutes to go but Chandler parried away from the midfielder.

With ten games left, Bassett need to step up their performances and claim as close to maximum points as possible with vital six pointers coming up against many teams around them including Bicester, Pewsey and Tuffley.

If performances like this one are put in week after week then it will be Division One West football next year for a side, on paper, that are capable of holding their own against all teams in the league. Also, with star man Matty Bennett setting off for Thailand before Tuesday's clash with Almondsbury the rest of the team need to step up.

It's all right having a good team on paper, but paper doesn't win matches; effort, teamwork and desire do.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Andy Hallett – only player worthy of being praised in the Bassett team. Looked cool and composed on the ball as always and didn't look like he was going through the motions.

Scoop Rating: 1/10 – A dire display; didn't put anywhere near the required effort in and got what they deserved – a harsh lesson in football from a side that looked worlds apart from Bassett in the way of effort.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 16th September 2020 at 12:55