Rylands Way, 7th January 2006

Two defensive errors cost Wootton Bassett Town two points as Harrow Hill held Bassett to a 2-2 draw in a game where the home side were the better team.

However, either side could have taken the points with the end to end action bringing the best out of both 'keepers as well as a missed penalty from the visitors.

Harrow Hill 'keeper Andy Reid was certainly at his best, pulling off three excellent saves in the first twenty minutes to keep the visitors in the game.

On 10 minutes Stu Hemsley whipped in a free kick from 25-yards, which was redirected towards the far corner by a glancing header from Matty Bennett. Reid dived to his left, somehow managing to tip the ball wide. From the resulting corner Reid comfortably held onto a Ben Gascoyne header.

Two minutes later Jon Davis set Matty Bennett on his way as Bennett ran half the distance of the pitch unchallenged. Yet Reid was able to get a fingertip to his shot in a one-on-one situation where Bennett would normally score from.

Bassett weren't done yet. Stu Hemsley played a ball into the box, which fell to Rich Gee. Gee shot with his left from ten yards and Reid once again was forced to tip wide.

A foul by Paul Frowen brought the first caution of the game before a Davis cross was met with the head of Hemsley in the box but the ball sailed wide of the mark on 32 minutes.

Harrow Hill took the lead, against the run of play, when Lee Marshall missed a header, putting Eddy Weyman through. Paul Hawkins was forced out of his goal and Weyman lobbed the advancing 'keeper.

The equaliser came a minute later as Steve Yeardley dispatched a penalty despite Reid managing to get a hand to the ball following a handball in the box.

Paul Crabtree was unfortunate to get booked for a foul three minutes before half time before Weyman shot from a tight angle and Hawkins did well to palm the ball behind at his front post. Clayton Hook received a booking just before the break for the visitors.

The second half was much the same as the first with both sides producing chances.

An altercation between Lee Marshall and Weyman saw both booked.

On 59 minutes a through ball from Sam Jones allowed Hook to get off a shot but his effort was well wide. A minute later Bennett was denied twice with his first effort from 12 yards being saved and the second blocked. The ball then fell to Gascoyne at the far post but Reid parried wide.

From Davis' corner, Yeardley had a six yard effort somehow tipped wide as Reid continued to frustrate the home side.

Harrow Hill then brought the best out of Hawkins. Hook played a through ball to Jones, who shot on the half volley from outside the area and a diving Hawkins tipped away. The rebound from Jody Taylor was also parried away and cleared. Bassett made their first change bringing Leigh Jones on for John Magani.

A minute later Harrow Hill were gifted a great opportunity when Quinn brought Weyman down in the box. However, Ryan Pendrey found the crossbar with a weak penalty.

Steve Bunting replaced Hemsley with eighteen minutes left before Quinn was booked.

Bunting made an immediate contribution as he found himself on the end of a Bennett cross and tapped in from ten yards with thirteen minutes left. Bunting, who has struggled in recent weeks, looked a different player after his goal.

Bunting was let down by his defence two minutes later though when a deep free kick from Jones wasn't cleared and Taylor was able to hook the ball into the top corner.

Jon Davis received a booking with ten minutes to go before James Townsend replaced Gascoyne to give an added aerial threat up front but neither side managed to find a winner.

Scoop's Man of the Match: Paul Crabtree – tough in the tackle and showed great vision, making some good passes. Has made a great contribution to the side since making his debut a month ago.

Scoop Rating: 7/10 – A great game for the spectator but a frustrating one in the end for Bassett as missed chances and poor defending cost the better side two valuable points. However, if it wasn't for Harrow Hill 'keeper Andy Reid then the game would have been sown up by the half.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Friday 18th September 2020 at 09:27