After a slow start, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Vets turned on the style against Hardly Athletic, the graduates of the Swindon Town football fans in training course, and ran out 9-0 winners to boost their goal difference before the final shake up in the Wiltshire FA Veterans Winter Flexi League.
Complacency marked the first half performance with a full fifteen minutes passing before Martin Ohrland took advantage of the superior movement Bassett showed, clinically powering home left footed from near the penalty spot. This, and a Paul Davis dust up, seemed to galvanise the team and two more were added before half time. Dave Parker had just left a certain goal begging after an ice dance straight from Pyeongchang meant his scissor flick trundled wide. However, his next pacey run was like Franz Clammer down the right and a precise centre gave Steve Howse an easy finish from six yards out.
A minute before half time, Parker let fly from twenty yards and was the beneficiary of a deflection that wrong footed the keeper and span into the opposite corner.
Although Bassett had been by far the better team, misplaced final passes and lack of composure were addressed at half time and the second half became an exercise in finishing. Only minutes in, an inviting Cook cross from deep pinpointed the considerable forehead of Howse, leaping like Eddie the Eagle to head home.
Bryan Watson, who had just seen a shot saved brilliantly by the hardly athletic Hardly Athletic keeper, then profited from another Parker shot that was deflected into his path, leaving him with a simple finish. The Vets were now on the downhill run, although Jack was shivering in the ski lodge, first refusing to run the line then shying away from going back on in the snow. That's before he found out he was up front and started limbering up like a Russian half pipe boarder!
6-0 came when Adam Cinquegrani crashed home after much dithering in the area by the defence after a corner. Watson then blasted over and out the ground with a Pony contender, before making amends with a calm one-on-one finish after beating the offside trap and a frozen statuesque back line.
Bassett's eighth hardly had an assist as comical attempts at a clearance rebounded to the centre back who sliced perfectly into the corner for an own goal. The coup de grace was applied by Steve Lynch, who slalomed down the left, exchanging passes with Ohrland, then crashed home a left foot drive in off the underside of the crossbar from 18 yards.
The win lifts the Vets top of the league, but need KMLC to do them a favour and beat Marlborough Town in the last league game, which would see Bassett top on goal difference.
Man of the match went to Steve Lynch for his unsung work at left wing back, capped with a fine goal.
Pink Pony went to Dave Parker for his ice dance: 9.0 for style, but minus 3.0 for the finish!
Credit: Junior Striker
Last modified on Tuesday 13th February 2018 at 09:28
