It's now three losses in a row for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Veterans as Marlborough Town avenged their previous defeat by the Vets, running out 2-0 winners.
Bassett battled gamely but a strong Marlborough team featuring plenty of semi professional experience were too good and too mobile and put an end to any Bassett chance of winning the latest edition of the Wiltshire Veterans Flexi League.
Bassett needed to win to pull level in the league and started off on parity in an even first quarter. The Vets were missing a few regulars but held strong, only being breached once when a delightful ball in from the right ought to have been finished off but the Marlborough striker contrived to knee it awkwardly over and into Walcot itself.
Marlborough were controlling much of the play, nimble in midfield and testing down the flanks. Warren, Davis and Paul Jack had their work cut out and Jefferies spent a lot of his time defending from wing-back. Bassett were finding it hard to release the pressure and find Howse and Cooper up front, and the ball kept coming back at them, although clear-cut chances were kept to a minimum, and Boys-Stones didn't have an effort in anger to save (other than one Benny Hill caper around his box to close down an attack, diving bravely to smother).
Ohrland and Jefferies had a couple of strides into attack, but no great chances were made, the only effort came from a rising Cooper free-kick after Cook had been upended 25 yards out.
Not long after Marlborough took the lead. The ball was lost upfront and was quickly transferred forward, a searching ball over the heads of the defence found a Marlborough Vet in plenty of space to clinically sidefoot home past an exposed Boys-Stones.
Bassett were working hard across midfield with Cook, Ohrland and Watson ably supported by Andy Huggins on his debut. Parker, from wing-back, spent a lot of his time tracking back and the Vets were unable to utilise his pace. However Marlborough had a lot of time on the ball, and skilful movement enabled them to dominate.
Into the second half and the game followed the same pattern. Davis and Warren had a couple of mazy runs out of defence to release the pressure, but then resembled Father Ted and Dougal in the underwear department, unsure what to do next!
Bassett's best spell of possession unfortunately then led to Marlborough's second. Again, when the ball was won back, a long deep ball was allowed to bounce and the opposition forward gained control before slotting across the six yard box to be easily finished off.
Bassett looked to be finished off, although they continued to hold out and didn't crumble despite Davis and Jack both suffering injuries, and heads didn't drop. Ohrland went close with a left-footed free-kick, just curling over, and Jefferies had a barnstorming run closed down.
An otherwise fair game then ended with three in the bin. Cook took exception to a lunge from Banksy and, swaying like a drunk birthday boy after too much Belgian Leffe, rutted up against the graffiti artist. Both were sent off, with a Marlborough mouth added to the mix for too vociferous a complaint.
Two games left for the Vets to regain their form, although the strength of players Marlborough put out can be testament to the respect given after the first game.
Man of the match goes to Martin Jefferies. Bassett's Mr Consistent whether wing-back or defence has had a strong run of games and would have got it last week also, if I had lifted my pen!
Pink Pony goes to Martin Cooper. He'll take this one for wandering around as if having had a baby and no sleep, falling over sporadically, and the Toblerone touch.
Credit: Junior Striker
Last modified on Wednesday 28th November 2018 at 09:04
