Sustain Stadium, Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, 30 April 2024
Off the pitch, the Hellenic League Premier Division Playoff final was a huge success for Royal Wootton Bassett Town.
934 people - far and away a modern record for the club - packed into the Sustain Stadium to see Sam Collier and his side vie for a place in the Southern League. In its eight year existence, the new Gerard Buxton Sports Ground had never been busier. And it was wonderful to see so many - greatly exceeding the club's expectations - turn out for such a prestigious game.
On the pitch, however, Bassett endured something of a nightmare. Clinical finishing from Cinderford Town earned the visitors a convincing and deserved 4-0 victory as they sealed an immediate return to step four. While a heavy defeat, the result somewhat flattered the visitors and was not really a fair reflection on the game.
Cinderford had five shots on goal all night, and scored four times. In contrast, Bassett were forced to curse their luck after hitting the woodwork on multiple occasions.
The damage was mainly done in the first half. On balance there had been little between the two teams. However, two errors gifted Cinderford a pair of goals that put the Foresters in a commanding position at the break.
The first came on 27 minutes when 'keeper James Foster - one of Bassett's semi final heroes - played a causal pass across the face of goal and straight into the path of Ryan Hillier who easily slotted in.
Two minutes later it was 2-0. Jowan Partridge was caught in possession and Blaine Waugh jumped on the loose ball and - catching Foster off his line - scored with a long range lob.
Bassett battled to get back into the match. But chasing that significant deficit left the home side exposed. A third Cinderford goal duly followed on the hour as the visitors caught Bassett on the break before Hillier cut inside and fired into the bottom corner.
Further salt was rubbed into Bassett's painful wounds ten minutes from time as Hillier completed his hat trick. Craig Norman's blocked shot fell fortuitously to the forward, and while Hillier's effort hit the post, it deflected in for 4-0.
How different the game could have been without that pair of first half mistakes - and if Bassett had not been down on their luck at the other end.
The hosts were quick out of the blocks. After recycling the ball following a blocked Alfie Presley shot, Kyle Tooze forced Cinderford 'keeper James Smallcombe into a diving save. Jack Hobson-McVeigh then saw a controlled side-foot shot strike the post, with the rebound falling to Tooze who was again denied by Smallcombe.
Cinderford's first real opportunity then arrived but Foster was equal to a Hillier strike from the edge of the box.
Then came the three minutes that played a huge role in determining Bassett's destiny.
Yet even after falling behind, Bassett continued to create. And before the interval Hobson-McVeigh fired over a 25 yard free kick before Tooze struck narrowly over with a shot on the turn from the edge of the area.
Bassett then again found the woodwork within ten minutes of the restart. This time Sam Packer was the player to be denied as his thunderous strike crashed off the frame of the goal with Smallcombe able to quickly scramble and smother the rebound.
Cinderford's third then sucked the life out of Bassett as the visitors eased through the remaining quarter of the match. They had chances to extend their lead before Hillier ultimately made it four too as Ben Watkins shot wide and Norman narrowly missed the target after jumping on a stray pass.
For Bassett it was a cruel way to end another hugely successful season. Collier and his team may have missed out on promotion having been 90 minutes way - but this defeat, as much as it hurts, will hopefully serve as motivation to go one better in 2024-25.
Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Wednesday 1st May 2024 at 13:49
