Royal Wootton Bassett Town Veterans lost their unbeaten run in an off-colour performance in their fifth Wiltshire FA Veterans Winter Flexi League fixture, going down 3-1 to a well organised Kylie Minogue Love Children. KMLC played a strong eleven and kept control of the ball well, utilising the long ball when needed.
The game started off fairly evenly, but Bassett struggled to link passes up regularly. KMLC played 3 up front against the defensive trio of PD, Cinqs and Bryan Wood/Paul Jack, and the whole Vets team suffered from a collective lack of composure. However, they did have a few forward thrusts down Shaw's channel, and a weak free-kick from Cooper from a good position.
Bassett had already gone close from one corner, Howse's header looping over when they took the lead from another midway through the first half. This time Cooper's delivery was flapped at by the 'keeper and the pat down fell to Howse ten yards out who drilled a left footer past the cover on the line.
The Vets then had a great chance to go 2-0 up and change the complexion of the game. Ohrland's ball from the left found Shaw inside the area but he shot straight at the keeper. Bassett soon found themselves pegged back to one all. The defence had struggled with long balls already, and one such found space in behind and KMLC's striker finished the one-on-one despite Paul Boys-Stones managing to get a flicked hand to it.
Worse was to follow just before half-time. This time a misjudged clearance fell to KMLC who played in the forward again for a composed finished. For the first time this season the Vets were behind and looking shaky. All half, the midfield mix of Cook, Ohrland and Warren/Wilson and wing backs Jefferies and Cooper couldn't get into the game enough, and Howse and Shaw were isolated up front.
Half-time came but afterwards Bassett again were slow to get going in the second half. It has to be said KMLC were manipulating the ball well, passing triangles between defence and midfield then putting the pressure on with either a lofted ball or through into the channels.
Boys-Stones had to be quick more than once to play the sweeper keeper and clear up the danger. Bassett tried manfully to get themselves going but too often in pockets. They were losing the midfield battle, balls weren't sticking up front, and they could find no rhythm to their passing, rushing decisive passes or taking the wrong option. Too often balls were intercepted or played to where there was no man.
With about 5 minutes to go KMLC made it 3-1. A penetrative move down the right saw a delicious right-wing cross find a KMLC head guiding it over Boys-Stones to loop into the far corner.
It was a long way back now. Gav Cook had a couple of good runs down the left and Shaw found more space at right wing-back but the Vets were unable to fashion a good chance.
With only minutes to go, a mass melee was sparked when Ohrland, who over-ran the ball, left the ground and slid from a distance, like a horizontal Eiffel Tower! The ball was won but excessive force used, and Ohrland was sent with an 'orange' card, although no action was taken for the KMLC retaliation (as questioned by our upcoming young 'man in black' on the line to the ref afterwards).
The final whistle went to end a sorry performance. As a team the Vets were off-form, not so many options for each other and this reporter not seeing so many heavy touches from a usually confident team. Bassett contributed to their own downfall but KMLC were certainly up for it and ready to ambush. Time to put it right next week.
No Man of the Match was awarded given the collective underperformance - and no one should be thinking they stood out.
Pink Pony was shared between Martin Ohrland for the 'tentacle tackle' and Dave Parker (one game as boss on the sideline and one loss - 'He's getting sacked in the morning!').
Credit: Junior Striker
Last modified on Tuesday 13th November 2018 at 11:23
