Wootton Bassett Town under 18s recorded their third straight victory with a hard fought 1-0 victory away at Westbury United.

The game was won with a Phil Tearle penalty with around 15 minutes to go after an act of stupidity from one of Westbury's defenders.

Matt Povey put in a cross into the box from the right touchline and it looked as though it would be easily defended as Westbury outnumbered Bassett in the box. However, one defender decided it would be best to raise both hands and parry the ball away, leaving the referee with the easiest of decisions to make.

Tearle stepped up to take the spot kick and after a stutter step in the middle of his run up placed the ball into the top right corner, just past the fingertips of Westbury's 'keeper.

Before that both sides had struggled to penetrate their opponent's defences and Bassett's best chance had came when Craig Kelly's shot from a very tight angle was parried away following a long throw from Mark Olner that caught the defence out; this chance itself came midway through the second period.

It had been half chances and nothing else for Bassett despite their positive play.

At the other end, the hosts twice hit the bar, once in either half, but other than that were unable to find their way past an impenetrable back four with right back Will McCurrach especially in top form.

Their first encounter with the woodwork came midway through the first half as a free kick from the deep sailed over 'keeper Rich Hanley's head and appeared to be going out of play.

However, an unmarked midfielder hustled to head the ball onto the crossbar from basically the by-line. The ball dangerously bounced across the six yard box but Jonny Aitkenhead was eventually able to hurry the ball away.

In the second period Hanley did brilliantly to tip away a delicious cross from the left touchline after having to jump off his back foot before the hosts again struck the frame of the goal. Hanley rushed off his line but was beat to the ball and an effort from just inside the box failed to go in.

Another effort was then blocked on the line by Bassett, as the few mistakes made by the visiting side were almost capitalised upon.

Then came the penalty though, and after it had been dispatched it was relatively plain sailing.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 30th December 2020 at 22:08