With a number of sides in Wiltshire Senior Cup action the league match that most impacted the top of the table was at the Gerard Buxton Ground where second placed Corsham Town Reserves were Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development's visitors. Just like the first game between the sides, that had seen Royal Wootton Bassett win by a solitary goal, it was another tight encounter between two well organised sides. The visitors Corsham went close to breaking the deadlock on 16 minutes when leading scorer Dan Lardner almost got on the end of a cross at the far post. At the other end Brad Pagliaroli had the home sides first real chance just before the half hour mark when a chip from the left-hand side of the box went just wide. The deadlock was finally broken on 35 minutes when the ball was slipped into Dan Lardner on the edge of the Royal Wootton Bassett box and he coolly slotted his shot into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Moments later Bassett nearly got a quick reply when Danny Langford was put in by Brad Pagliaroli but, unlike the assured finish from Lardner, he fired straight at Corsham keeper Dave Cardus. Just before the half time whistle Corsham went close to extending their lead but Adam House in the Bassett goal saved well from a free kick from the edge of the box.

In the second half, shortly after Kai Robinson had gone close to equalising for the home side, they wasted another great chance when Langford was put clean through but slipped just as he was about to get his shot away and Corsham cleared. Both sides pushed for goals and the keepers at both ends of the pitch were called into action. Corsham's Ryan Withers, returning to his former club, went close when he got on the end of a corner, but his header was well saved by Adam House in the Bassett goal. At the other end a couple of minutes later it was the turn of Corsham's Dave Cardus to deny a goal when he saved brilliantly from a Nick Mason header. Ten minutes from time Cardus was at it again when this time he denied Danny Langford with another great save. Corsham's well organised back four comfortably saw out the final ten minutes to secure the vital three points that took them to within a point of league leaders Wroughton at the top of the table.

Credit: Mark Smedley
Last modified on Sunday 20th December 2020 at 17:46