In this Wiltshire County Cup quarter-final encounter, a topsy-turvy night for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Veterans Blue saw them romp home in extra time, having had to find two goals in the last ten minutes to draw level with Trowbridge Tigers. From an early 1-0 lead, to trailing 3-1 with only minutes to go, the Blues were indebted to Steve Shaw's three goals before breaking Tiger hearts to decide the tie, as Bassett ultimately triumphed 7-3.
Shaw's first came in the opening minutes, racing onto a Jeremy Newton through ball to steer home confidently. This seemed to cause Bassett to become complacent, as the rest of the first half performance lacked cohesion and communication, with the wind also playing its part. The Blues back three of Nick Warren, Paul Jack and Adam Cinquegrani were solid in stifling any Tiger movement, but attacking momentum was frequently disrupted by poor choices or misplaced passes.
Trowbridge struck back soon after half-time, capitalising on statuesque defending at a free kick for the number 4 to lob over Paul Boys-Stones from an acute angle, again with no one reading that cover was needed. Bassett were having to succumb to an injury crisis - Martin Cooper had replaced Newton at half-time and soon after Warren's knee forced him to give way to Tony Gleed. Trowbridge took a 2-1 lead, their centre forward showing great skill to chest down and power a volley in off the bar.
Newton came back on for Alex Hill, however Gavin Cook's hamstring then cramped up, so Warren limped back into midfield! For the match's entirety, Shaw had been the Blues' most potent weapon, but chances were proving hard to fashion. One nearly fell to Newton running onto a perfectly weighted Martin Ohrland through-ball, but the injury curse struck again as he felt his hamstring and pulled up sharply. Hill was called back into action.
Against the run of play, Trowbridge grabbed a third when Steve Howse, dropping deep in Bassett's own half, under-hit a cross-field pass and a predatory Tiger pounced through to lash home. The Blues' could have folded but finally, to their credit, they upped the intensity and found a way back.
Shaw was finding more and more space and was set free from midfield to finish from the edge of the area. The Blues brought out the heavy artillery: Shaw saw his easiest chance saved, Warren surged forward to be thwarted again and put the rebound wide, Ohrland headed over and was denied in another scramble and Gleed committed a foul-throw. With three minutes to go, Shaw brought the scores level, firing home a knock-down from the edge of the area (with a slight deflection).
To extra time, and Coach Paul Davis urged the same intensity, noting that Trowbridge were deflated. Bassett took control straight away, Ohrland took the long way round a short defender and finished off Shaw's through ball from the right of the area to go 4-3 ahead. Soon after, Hill notched his first Vets goal with a swerving, dipping pearler from 30 yards to give the Blues daylight. Gleed gave away another foul-throw.
The second 10 minutes of extra time was much like the first. Howse got in on the act with a cool right-foot finish after a sweeping move down the left and Cook finished off to make seven, dragging his hamstring clear of the defence to finish like a seasoned forward one-on-one.
There was just time for a last Gleed foul-throw before the end, and the Blues can be happy to be in a semi-final, although improvement is required. Bryan Wood nearly stole the Pink Pony, going down with cramp in the bar after an all-action display, watching on the sidelines.
Man of the Match: Steve Shaw by a country mile. Saved the Blues blushes and was different gravy all night.
Pink Pony: Pony Gleed. Bassett's own Rory Delap might need some coaching from his own Under 15s!
Credit: Junior Striker
Last modified on Friday 21st February 2020 at 09:30
