Phoenix Sports and Social Club, 20th August 2005

It sounds so familiar. A loss by a single goal, a goal from a corner, a player sent off and missed chance after missed chance. But this time it happened in a different division against opposition who, on paper, Bassett should have taken all three points from.

Bassett's 3-5-2 formation always looked susceptible to Headington who looked for their wingers to provide their front men and on many occasions they created good chances but these weren't put away.

Headington provided the first chance of the match when Luke Brandon volleyed over whilst unmarked before Steve Tucker had a shot parried wide at the other end for Bassett following a long ball over the top from 'keeper John Haines.

Steve Yeardley found himself in the book on twenty minutes for retaliating after being tripped.

Haines did well to deny Matthew Phillips who fired a shot in from a very tight angle after Richard Gee failed to clear another long ball over the top. The resulting corner created the only goal of the game.

The lanky Phillips headed a Matthew Crook corner goalwards only for Ben Gascoyne to block it on the line. However, the ball was somehow knocked over the line as Bassett tried to avert the danger.

A foul on Dwayne Quinn brought a booking for Headington midfielder Steve Bell before Chris Hawkins nearly equalised. Chris Mills flicked on a ball from Quinn, the ball fell to Hawkins but his shot from inside the box was parried away by Nick Butcher.

Lee Marshall then had a chance seven minutes from half time but his glancing header was fumbled by Butcher and then smothered.

A short free kick from Marshall to Tucker gave the debutant forward a chance on goal but his low drive rolled wide of Butcher and out of play.

Two minutes after the break, a strong run from Ben Gascoyne to the edge of the box gave Stu Hemsley an opening but Butcher comfortably saved.

Jon Davis made an appearance for Chris Hawkins eight minutes after the restart before Brandon was finally booked for his persistent fouling.

Bassett were somewhat harshly reduced to ten men on the hour mark when Tucker challenged for a 50-50 ball and was adjudged to have gone in studs up on a Headington defender.

From then on Bassett never looked like scoring and frustration grew as Quinn was booked and manager Paul Burke kept chopping and changing tactics to try and get a break through. Steve Bunting and Quinn were both pulled off for Leigh Jones and Pete Evans respectively.

With fifteen to go a through ball put Jason Maciak in a good position to kill the game off but Haines parried away Maciak's effort.

Gee headed fractionally over from six yards after a Jones corner with four minutes left as Burke had to settle for a painful loss in his first game in charge.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Stu Hemsley – Played well in the centre of midfield, distributing the ball well and was strong in the tackle as usual.

Scoop Rating: 5/10 – Not the start wanted with set pieces again a worry and the upcoming suspension of Steve Tucker leaving Bassett with a gap to fill up front.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Thursday 17th September 2020 at 09:47