Wilks Park, 31st March 2011

Wootton Bassett Town's Hellenic League Challenge Cup run came to an end at the quarter final stage as they were eliminated after a 5-1 thrashing by Flackwell Heath.

The lenghty trip on a Thursday night - Bassett's third game in the past six days - was always going to be more of a hindrance than a help, especially given the task at hand in the league for Dave Turner's side.

Back in September, after an outstanding first month and a half of the season, a possible place in the semi finals of this competition would have been seen as a reward worth exerting all available energy for. But now that reality has set in and Bassett find themselves fighting for their lives a place in the last four of the competition, arguably quite rightly, was of secondary importance.

This was shown by the fact a much changed team from that which succumbed to Binfield on Tuesday was fielded - regulars Stewart Thompson, Craig Bowden, Matt Bown, Matt Boucher, Liam Edmundson and Tom Dingle all had the night off - and that an unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation was utilised.

Despite having most of the possession during the first half, Bassett found themselves three goals behind when the half time whistle was blown. The first goal came against the run of play from a free kick quarter of an hour in, before two goals in quick succession before half time meant the visitors faced a mountain of a task following the restart.

A much tighter second half followed, with Sam Collier smashing home a 20-yard free kick - his 24th goal of the season, but first in seven games - to give his side a glimmer of hope. But a defensive mix-up gifted the hosts a fourth, before a fifth came in the last minute.

It was a result that will be quickly forgotten, with Slimbridge and Witney United set to visit Rylands Way on Saturday and Tuesday - two games which will go a long way to determining Bassett's fate.

Last modified on Monday 22nd June 2015 at 23:38