Royal Wootton Bassett Town recorded their fifth in a row as they secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory away at Tuffley Rovers courtesy of Sam Collier's brace.

Since re-joining the club, Sam Collier has largely been featuring at the heart of Royal Wootton Bassett Town's defence. Yet his attacking instincts seem not to have deserted him, as he fired a brace in his team's latest victory, a 2-0 away triumph against Tuffley Rovers.

Without Rory Sproule for the third game in a row, Rich Hunter turned to Collier - a hugely successful forward in his previous spells with Bassett - to lead the line.

And Collier did not let him down.

His powerful sixth minute header from Gio Wrona's excellent corner put the visitors ahead, while Collier then earned and despatched a penalty with quarter of an hour remaining to seal the points.

While he did the business at that end of the pitch, it was yet another high quality defensive display that laid the foundations for victory and a fourth successive league clean sheet.

After taking the lead, Bassett were subject to an immense amount of pressure from their hosts, who enjoyed territorial superiority throughout the opening period.

Tuffley forced twelve corners in the opening period alone. Yet the visitors' back line refused to cave in.

Only once was 'keeper Dan Lawrence properly called into action. And when he was he answered the call brilliantly, getting a firm hand on the ball to divert Shayne Bradley's header over the bar.

Tuffley continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession after the break, but failed to convert that into chances which really threatened Bassett.

In the 50th minute, Warren Mann's intricate skill took him clear of two defenders, but his cross was headed off target Macaulay Herbert. Mann then shot tamely at Lawrence after a surging run.

Searching for the equaliser left Tuffley vulnerable to the counter attack. And Collier almost had his second on the hour after a quick break, yet Kane Winman was equal to his effort, pulling off a good save.

Harvey Scholes, who saw his shot blocked, and Antonio Gerrish, whose strike was kept out by Winman, were next to go close.

At the other end, Shayne Anson planted a header off target, before Sam Hill had two bites at the cherry, only to see his first shot blocked and the second saved by Lawrence.

Then, with fifteen minutes to go, Anson made sure it would not be his team's night as he was guilty of bringing down Collier in the box, and the Bassett frontman duly made no mistake.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Tuesday 19th September 2017 at 21:54