Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, 19 February 2022

Despite a disappointing performance that lacked any semblance of imagination or creativity, Royal Wootton Bassett Town appeared to be on course to claim a valuable point in their derby fixture against Fairford Town. Having got to the 90 minute mark with the game still goalless, all Bassett had to do to get something from the game was to see out injury time.

However, they failed that task. A combination of sloppiness in possession and slack defending allowed Fairford to launch a late counter from which they claimed a late, late penalty. And the Reds' leadings marksman Ross Langworthy - who had failed to find his range from open play up to that point - made no mistake from the spot, sending Eddie Cavanagh the wrong way to secure his side victory.

It was a three points that Fairford no doubt deserved. Were it not for the woodwork and some wasteful finishing, they would have been comfortably ahead at half time. Meanwhile, only once was their 'keeper Ben Mitchell called into serious action as he did enough to deny Sam Packer shortly before Fairford grabbed their winner.

For Bassett, the result is a deeply disappointing one. Starting the day four points behind Fairford with two games in hand, the match was a golden opportunity to acquire the upper hand over their rivals - who Sam Collier's side had beaten 2-0 away from home - as they jostle for position in mid-table. Now though Bassett's deficit is stretched to seven points - and with Roman Glass St George beating Brimscombe and Thrupp, any hopes of a top half finish now appear to be over.

Battling for a place in the top ten may not exactly be the most thrilling of targets at this time of the season. But with that to aim for as well as league double over local rivals, this was a contest that required a performance far better than the one that was delivered.

Bassett started reasonably well, despite having to play into a fierce first half wind. Indeed, John Mills' fourth minute effort that he sent narrowly over was the only opportunity of note in the game's opening quarter.

But the match quickly descended into a scrappy battle. And it was one that Fairford gained the upper hand in as their three man midfield crowded out Bassett's hopes of playing through the lines. As a result Bassett were unable to sustain possession for any meaningful periods.

Playing with the wind behind them also meant Fairford enjoyed territorial advantage. And that should really have yielded at least one goal.

For the final twenty minutes of the half, they had Bassett on the ropes. Somehow, however, a goal was not forthcoming.

An unmarked Langworthy fluffed his lines as he dragged wide from twelve yards after a square ball from Ian Herring. Danny Gudger then raced onto a Langworthy flick on only to be denied by a point blank parry from an alert Cavanagh.

Fairford had their best opportunity eight minutes before the break. A Bassett corner came to nothing and after Gio Wrona was dispossessed on the edge of the box a ball over the top set free Langworthy, who comfortably had beaten Dave Bampton for pace. Clean through on goal, the forward sought to slot the ball into the bottom corner only to see his effort come back off the post.

A minute later, it was Gudger's turn to be inches away from opening the scoring but he could only steer into the side netting after being picked out by Peare's defence splitting pass.

Langworthy then had another half chance. Seizing on a Cavanagh fumble following Ian Herring's delivery into the box, the forward sought to guide home from an angle but - like Gudger - could only pick out the side netting.

Having dodged those bullets, Bassett kept Fairford at bay for the majority of the second half. Not that that led to the hosts exerting any pressure of their own. Having already lost Tommy Ouldridge to injury after just 20 minutes, the withdrawal of Bailey Gallagher early in the second period meant Bassett lacked any real presence out wide, while Fairford's strength in numbers meant they continued to hold the upper hand in the middle of the park.

The game did open up somewhat as it entered the final ten minutes.

Langworthy continued to have a frustrating day as he failed to locate the target after receiving Harvey Skurek's pass inside from the left wing.

Bassett then almost went ahead with just three minutes to go when Packer met a Mills flick on from Macauley Dodson's cross with a diving header that a diving Mitchell managed to hold onto.

Still, despite those opportunities, the game seemed destined to finish goalless. That was until Fairford seized upon Wrona's loose pass and launched a break. Substitutes Tom Golledge and Mason Thompson linked up down the right, with the latter narrowly beating the offside trap before crossing into the box. Will Davidson initially controlled the ball, but the defender dwelt too long before attempting to clear. By that point Langworthy had been able to nip in front of the defender and was clumsily brought down.

The forward duly dusted himself off and - putting behind his earlier woes - confidently swept the spot kick home.

It was a painful way for Bassett to lose - but the result, a disappointing and frustrating one from the hosts' perspectives, was a fair reflection of the game.

Man of the match: Eddie Cavanagh - the 'keeper could do little to keep out the penalty but produced Bassett's standout individual moment of the match with his fine reflex save to keep out Danny Gudger.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Sunday 20th February 2022 at 09:19