Royal Wootton Bassett Town Over 50s got back to winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 win away to Exiles at the Oxford Academy ground on Sunday.

Despite a poor opening 15 minutes from the visitors, the final result was inevitable such was Bassett's dominance. It was only the margin of victory that was in doubt, which in truth could have been far greater than four.

The win takes Bassett up to third in the table and confirms that promotion is a realistic target this season.

The game was disjointed in the opening exchanges. Bassett were unable to find their rhythm and Exiles lacked any quality in their play which resulted in a poor start to the game.

Bassett manager Gardner implored his team to start using the ball better and getting it out wide to stretch the Exiles back line. Striker Steve Lynch was a willing runner upfront and went close on a couple of occasions but struggled to hit the target. Roger Webb and Mike Rouse on the right and Jason Parr and Rob Mitchell on the left started to create danger on the flanks while Steve Fisher, Bryan Wood and Paul Jack drove at the Exiles' centre.

Although they were well on top Bassett often played the ball too long and straight in the first half and home keeper Nick Brown was often able to collect easily.

Just when frustration on the away bench was rising, Bassett finally found the missing quality to take the lead. Bassett earned a free kick on their left which Parr whipped into the box. Lynch won the ball in the air and his back header to the far post was met perfectly by the late arriving Jack who planted a firm low header past Brown.

With their tails now up, Bassett peppered the home goal for the remainder of the half but were unable to add to their tally as keeper Brown pulled off a series of impressive saves. One of these was at full stretch to his right to keep out a 30 -yard piledriver from Jack and a number of times he pushed away high shots that looked to be heading into the top corners. Fisher and Lynch were among the unlucky Bassett men to be foiled by the Exiles' gloveman.

Bassett manager Gardner added firepower to his line up for the second half as Marc Cresswell and Andy Huggins were introduced in a two-pronged attack with Lynch dropping into midfield and Chris Cooper switching to the right flank.

The changes worked with Bassett making even more chances to put the result beyond any doubt.

Exiles pressed the self-destruct button soon after the restart when the home number two wrestled with Lynch and was sin-binned for his actions. Bassett then took advantage. A deep corner from the right to the far post by Fisher found the head of Huggins rising above a defender to powerfully redirect the ball above Brown to double the lead.

From then on it was a case of how many as the likes of Cresswell, Cooper, Huggins, Webb, Parr and Penfold all fired efforts on goal or narrowly off target.

Huggins was denied a second by an offside flag, so it was left to Cresswell and Webb to put the icing on the cake with goals three and four. Cresswell found space in the box to finish clinically low to the 'keeper's left and Webb audaciously chipped Brown from the edge of the area to round off the scoring in style.

Exiles left it late to register their only effort on target in the game. The Exiles number ten curled a free kick towards the top right-hand corner but Ceri Stephens in the Bassett goal got across in time to get a strong right hand to push it over the angle of post and bar to keep his clean sheet intact.

Bassett were relatively satisfied at the final whistle but will know that they could have won the game by more.

Next up is a cup game away to Division One side Thame United. This will certainly be a far sterner test, but one the Bassett lads will approach with confidence and belief.

Bassett Man of the Match: Jason Parr - he kept the Exiles' attacks in check as part of a solid back four and drove forward from left back to threaten regularly at the other end. It was his excellently delivered free kick that led to the important opening goal, and he nearly got on the scoresheet himself as Bassett rained shots in on the Exiles' goal in a dominant display.

Credit: Ceri Stephens
Last modified on Tuesday 8th November 2022 at 07:52