15 Sep 2013 - Malmesbury Youth (A)

With the first winds of Autumn beginning to send a chill across the pitch, Bassett started this match by far the better of the two teams. Eager for revenge after Malmesbury had got the better of us in both the crucial league match last season and a pre-season friendly, our lads soon started controlling things in all areas of the pitch. Solid tackling combined with thoughtful passing and running off the ball, meant that our hosts weren't able to get any foothold. George impressed down the right, coming forward several times to turn defence into attack - and soon Jamie had glued the ball to his feet and started to bamboozle his opponents. Euan was imperious in the middle - never giving up on the ball even when surrounded by red shirts.

Our first chance wasn't long in coming but Dan was only able to skew it wide after a skilful chip up to him from Callum. Still the Bassett pressure grew with wave after wave of well-constructed attacks threatening the goal - a scramble in the host's area once again denying Dan from close range. A crunching tackle from Josh at one end and moments later, Jamie created a chance out of nothing, powering through, riding tackle after tackle before putting Dan in again who made no mistake from close in to give us a deserved lead - 1:0

Bassett looked to build on this lead and nearly did on a few occasions, Tom being desperately unlucky not to add to the score as he battled to make himself chances that a defender just got to or the goalie saved. He looked to have scored on one occasion only for a desperate blocking defender to appear from nowhere. Another time, a very strong penalty claim was turned down - the second goal just wouldn't come. This really was Bassett's half, but as half-time approached, we started to worry and sure enough , Malmesbury did fashion an attack and, sickeningly bundled it home after defence line confusion. This meant a barely believable 1 - 1 scoreline at the break.

Half-time 1- 1

Justice was almost done immediately when Adam cut inside and released Dan whose shot ricocheted off the top of the bar but then Malmesbury stepped up their game and the pattern of the second half began with strong running from the reds giving us much more to worry about.Bassett didn't give up, though, and it was the boys in blue that scored next with Dan running on to a through ball from Tom to double our tally - 2:1 This was a different game now, though, and our passing approach didn't really flourish as the powerful home team attacked directly and had us rocking back - Connor now much, much busier. It wasn't a surprise then when a free-kick was conceded just outside the area and a shot flew in over the wall and past Connor's outstretched glove - the scores were levelled again : 2- 2

With things now going their way, the Home Team piled forward again and must have thought they had it all wrapped it up when a ball was sent looping across our area and a Malmesbury forward finally got the better of our solid goal tender to bundle in a third.This sent us behind for the first time in the game: 3 - 2

Such a final scoreline would have been cruel on a team who had showed such enormous skill and application in the first half and it was with a sense of injustice that we now stormed forward. A series of Bassett free kicks from good positions came to nothing and then Conor pulled off the save of the match to deny a certain winner at the other end. Justice was finally done when Tom picked up a Jamie pass to dance around the tenacious 'keeper to score from close range - a draw being the least this team deserved from what had been a great overall performance.

Final score: 3 - 3

Man of the match: Again, many candidates - including those who spent time on the touchline , but many of our best moments came after Jamie had worked something special in midfield and it was Dan who scored two crucial goals and was a worry for their defence throughout. Men of the match today were jointly Jamie Byrom and Daniel Hulse.

Coach's comments: A game that we had enough chances in the first half to put the match out of sight of our hosts but in the end the boys did well to come away with a point.The boys played some very good passing football throughout the game & also showed a new steely approach for the battle which was very pleasing.Constant changes in personal probably cost us the win but it's important to keep all our players involved.Well done boys.

Team: Callum Bridges, Euan Burke, George Staten ,Jamie Byrom, Lewis Cholod, Joe Fenton, Conor Chivers, Edward Fish, Ben Croydon, Josh Curtis, Charlie Emmerson, Tom Miller, Daniel Hulse ,Zak Robinson , Adam Robbins

Last modified on Monday 22nd June 2015 at 23:39