Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Warminster Town finally got to play their Wiltshire League Floodlit Cup first round game at the fourth attempt - and Nick Warren's side edged a tight game 2-1 courtesy of Joe Beavis' late winner.

Two postponements due to pitch conditions, with fog having also caused another postponement, meant under the cup rules the venue was switched from Warminster to the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. And, although it was to prove a tight affair all evening with both team playing a passing game building up from the back, Bassett ultimately benefited from having home advantage.

Whilst Bassett Town had more of the possession, they rarely opened up an organised Warminster back line and the first real chance of the night fell the way of the visitors on 22 minutes when a ball played into the edge of the Bassett box was headed by defender Sonny James in the wrong direction and over the head of his goalkeeper Finlay Cranswick-Coates. Luckily for the home keeper, the ball hit his post and then rebounded back across his goal line and was cleared.

Ten minutes later the home side had their best chance of the half up to that point when they finally opened up the Warminster defence but Spencer Bowen saw his shot tipped over the bar by keeper Thomas Jones.

The deadlock was finally broken two minutes before half time and, given the lack of clear cut chances in the game, it was no surprise that it came from a dead-ball situation.

Warminster were awarded a free kick for a foul right on the edge of the 18-yard box with the attacking player ending up in the box; on another night, it could have seen a penalty awarded. The free kick was in a very central position but Lennon Burden fired a powerful well placed shot around the wall and into the net past Cranwick-Coates to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

The lead did not last long though as straight from the kick-off Bassett went down the other end and a ball into the box saw Flynn Walters clear of the defence and when he was brought down the referee pointed to the spot giving the home side an immediate chance to bounce back. Leading scorer Jacob Rendell-Haines made no mistake from the spot as the two sides went into the half-time break all square.

The second half continued in a similar fashion to the first with lots of possession football but limited chances being created.

With the possibility of extra time looming, the final 15 minutes finally saw things opening up as both teams tried to find a winner.

Cooper Brooks went close to finding the net for Warminster before Bassett created their best chance of the night in open play, Euan Spackman getting to a ball into the box before visiting keeper Jones and set up Flynn Walters on the edge of the box with the keeper stranded. However, Walters' powerful shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by Cole Parmley and cleared to safety.

Walters then went close three minutes later but saw his shot turned away by keeper Jones for a corner.

There was to be a late winner though when, following another attack from the home side, the ball fell to substitute Beavis on the edge of the box and his powerful shot gave keeper Jones no chance to make it 2-1 to the home side.

Bassett had the ball in the net again moments later and again it was Beavis who fired home after a free kick from Bowen came back off the bar, but the goal was ruled out by an assistant's flag for offside.

The final whistle went shortly after and it is the home side and league leaders who progress to the next round. But, has been the case in recent league games, they had left it late to get the better of a determined and well organised opponent showing there is very little between all the sides in this Under 18 Division this season.

Bassett will now meet Bishops Cannings in the quarter final with the winner of that tie then away to Calne Town in the semi-final.

Credit: Mark Smedley
Last modified on Friday 17th February 2023 at 18:23