Sustain Stadium, Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, 7 September 2023
Royal Wootton Bassett Town Under 18s fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Tuffley Rovers in an entertaining FA Youth Cup preliminary round tie.
Returning to the national competition this season, Nick Warren's side got off to a super start as Fin Smith put Bassett ahead inside the opening ten minutes. Seizing on a loose Tuffley pass, Joe Beavis let loose from 25 yards but saw his effort parried. However Smith was on hand to sweep home the rebound into the bottom corner.
Bassett then almost had a second when Jude Stokes headed against the bar from a corner, before Beau Hicks' deft flick was kept out by an outstretched Joe Devlin and another long range Beavis shot was batted away.
However Rovers equalised through Ethan Walters as half time neared. Racing onto a ball over the top, he produced a neat finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
In a wide open contest, it was now Bassett 'keeper Tom Davis' turn for some heroics as he produced two assured saves from one-on-one opportunities. He was beaten again before the break but the woodwork came to his rescue, with the follow up being blazed over.
Play continued to be end to end following the restart but shots on target were at a premium.
The decisive moment eventually arrived though. A long ball out from the back and flick on caught the Bassett defence out and clever work from James Reynolds with the hosts stretched culminated in an unfortunate Leo Bagley turning a low cross into the box into his own net.
That set up a frantic, dramatic finish which saw a Bagley cross-cum-shot from the right wing rattle the top of the bar and Reynolds send a shot inches wide when through on goal.
The biggest drama of all was to come when visiting 'keeper Devlin then made an outstanding acrobatic save from a fierce Matt Capel drive to ensure Tuffley stayed ahead as Bassett were unable to restore parity.
Tuffley thus advance to host Street in the first qualifying round with Bassett now set to focus solely on their Wiltshire League Floodlit Division campaign which begins on Monday away at Bristol Manor Farm.
Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Friday 8th September 2023 at 15:41
