"Lead us not into temptation": Royal Wootton Bassett Town Veterans Blue caused a sensation in their Wiltshire League encounter with AFC Swindon, being pegged back to 3-3 in the second half, only to have an epiphany and strike four unanswered goals. With injuries and unavailability, Bassett had a bare eleven and at one stage looked like letting three points slip away.
After a ponderous first few minutes, the Blues found their feet (and each other). Gavin Cook and Steve Shaw combined in midfield to send the scurrying Shaw down the left and his lofted cross found Steve Howse free and easy eight yards out to head Bassett into the lead.
AFC were to respond quickly. Ex-Bassett first-team speedster Lee Stoddart found space for a shot on the edge of the area. A deflection sent it looping in a parabola that, tragically, stand in 'keeper Tony Gleed misjudged and let slip through his grasp.
Bassett were playing well below par struggling to find any cohesion, but in between three golden chances spurned (two for Shaw and one for Ian Wilmer), they went 2-1 up. A clearance was fielded by Nick Warren and he sent a sumptuous long cross from just inside his half to Howse, who guided another header from 15 yards back past the 'keeper for his second. A third soon followed: Howse and Shaw combining for Cook to chip through for the electric Shaw to ghost in and clip over the tumbling 'keeper.
What should have been a safe cushion was again whittled back, when an AFC corner skimmed off the eyebrows of Cook back onto his own bar. In the ensuing scramble, an AFC striker was on hand to strike back. 3-2 at half-time and a call for more composure from the Blues.
In fact, things were about to get sketchy. Gleed had already made one brave save one-on-one, when AFC drew level. Stoddart's predatory lob from wide looked to be drifting just wide, but Warren lost his ball-bearings and thumped home in trying to clear. Finally, this seemed to spur Bassett and they got their act together. Instantly, Shaw broke free from down the left and unselfishly squared for a relieved Warren to find the right end in resurrection! Two minutes later and it was five; Howse was left free again and this time lobbed a stranded AFC 'keeper from 20 yards for his hat-trick.
Stunned into submission, AFC rolled over and the Blues tickled their tummy. A Cook cross zoned in on Martin Ohrland, who glanced a header into the top corner for six and seven soon came courtesy of a Wilmer corner that was thundered home on the volley by Howse.
A real mixed bag of a display that ended up looking rather fine – on paper at least.
Man of the Match: – Steve Howse – sharp-shooting from the returning four-goal number 9!
Pink Pony: - a kaleidoscopic display featuring everything including fab finishes at either end!
Credit: Junior Striker
Last modified on Friday 7th February 2020 at 09:33
