Visiting marksman Christopher Munday ultimately proved the difference as Chilsey Blacks emerged as 5-3 winners against Royal Wootton Bassett Town Over 50s in a pulsating contest at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground.

Munday struck twice to put Chilsey in charge before an Andy Huggins brace drew Bassett level. Chilsey then twice retook the lead at 3-2 and 4-3 before Munday stepped up to convert a late penalty to complete his hat trick and the 5-3 away win for his side.

Chilsey bossed the opening 20 minutes and were rewarded for their superiority courtesy of two deadly strikes from Munday.

First, his early taken power drive from the edge of the area was too hot for Ceri Stephens, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out diving low to his left.

Soon after, Munday outmuscled two Bassett defenders before firing past the helpless 'keeper to increase the visitors' lead to 2-0.

Bassett competed better after that and gained a lifeline in the game when Marc Cresswell had a close range shot handled on the line by a defender. Huggins stepped up to tuck away the resulting penalty to send Bassett in only 2-1 down at the break.

During the interval, the Bassett management team explained the importance of getting the next goal and Huggins duly obliged when he burst through a fragile looking Chilsey central defence to drill an effort past the substitute 'keeper to bring Bassett level.

Home joy was cut short however, when Bassett were caught in possession on the edge of their area and a Chilsey player carried the ball into the box before beating Stephens at his near post as the Bassett 'keeper dived the other way.

Bassett responded again, aided by a goalkeeping error with only around seven minutes remaining. The stand in Chilsey goalkeeper fumbled a routine high cross and Cresswell smuggled the loose ball from him to stab into an empty net from a yard.

At this late stage it looked like that goal would be enough for a 3-3 draw, which, on the balance of play, Bassett probably didn't deserve.

Chilsey Blacks had other ideas though, and within a minute they were on the attack and sent in a rasping shot that Stephens palmed over the bar for a corner.

The resulting corner was beautifully flighted over Stephens and his defence for an unmarked Chilsey player to arrive unmarked and make it 4-3.

Then, to put the icing on the Chilsey cake, they were awarded a last minute penalty which was confidently dispatched by Munday for his hat trick and a thrilling 5-3 away success for the visitors.

The result leaves Chilsey breathing down Goring GOB's neck in the race for third place, with the two still having to meet again before the end of the season.

As for Bassett, they need to pick themselves up for the reverse fixture with Chilsey on Sunday 23rd April 2023 before concluding the current campaign with a prestige friendly in Cardiff against the Welsh Veterans Over 55's and a still to be rearranged league game away at Easington Sports.

Bassett Man of the Match: Steve Partridge - the central defender was tasked with trying to stop hot shot Chilsey Blacks striker Christopher Munday. He did a great job of trying to contain the front man, who was an absolute menace all game and stuck to his defensive task throughout. An excellent effort from Steve, well done.

Credit: Ceri Stephens
Last modified on Monday 17th April 2023 at 18:48