Royal Wootton Bassett Town fell to a 4-1 defeat away against Middlezoy Rovers in their final South West Regional Women's Football League Premier Division fixture of the season.

Bassett were thus unable to finish what has been a testing campaign on a high. It could have been different story though had Graham Fletcher's side been able to convert more than just one of the numerous excellent opportunities they fashioned in an opening period that Bassett largely controlled.

Instead, Libby Davies' 39th goal of the campaign - which opened the scoring in the match - was all that the visitors could muster.

Having survived Bassett's early pressure, Middlezoy were able to pull themselves equal before half time through Chelsea Day.

Middlezoy then claimed control of the match following the restart, scoring three unanswered goals with Day, Georgia Coles and Chloe Snook on target, to claim only their third league win of the campaign - and their first against a side other than basement dwellers Bideford.

The loss leaves Bassett with a record of seven wins, one draw and ten defeats from their eighteen league fixtures. While the team currently occupy fifth place, both Forest Green Rovere (one point behind with three games to play) and Bishops Lydeard (four behind with four to play) have the potential to leapfrog Bassett and push them into the bottom half.

That record is somewhat disappointing - particularly in light of where Bassett stood at Christmas. Indeed, since the turn of the year the team claimed just four points from nine matches.

But, saying that, Bassett have been more than competitive. Only in defeats away against Ilminster Town (0-4), Sherborne Town (0-4) and Torquay United (0-5) were Bassett clearly second best. Instead, inconsistent performances across the ninety minutes - like that against Middlezoy - have been the team's downfall.

For Bassett's young squad, the season has certainly served as a useful, albeit challenging experience too. No doubt, those players will be better for the tests they have endured as Bassett head into what will next season be only the club's second full campaign in the fifth tier of women's football.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Monday 14th March 2022 at 08:27