Royal Wootton Bassett Town scored four times in the opening quarter of an hour as Sam Collier's side secured a thumping 6-3 win in a feast of attacking football away against Slimbridge.

Alfie Presley, who bagged a brace on Bassett's last visit to Thornhill Park, led the way with a fine hat trick as he hit double figures for the season and Bassett won a third consecutive league fixture against the Swans.

More importantly, the victory extended Bassett's unbeaten run to five games and saw Collier and his team remain within relative touching distance of the top five.

And it was Bassett's lightning fast start that proved pivotal as they kicked off October with a bang.

The opener arrived in somewhat fortuitous circumstance with just a minute in the clock as Chris Zebroski blocked 'keeper Oliver Phillips' attempted clearance and the ball found its way into the net.

There was nothing lucky about Bassett's second though as Presley curled a delightful free kick into the bottom corner.

He then produced a sublime lob to make it 3-0 with eleven minutes gone.

And three soon became four as Brad Pagliaroli fired into the top corner.

The goals continued to come thick and fast as Jack Watts steered home after a fine ball into the box.

The game was only fifteen minutes. But it had already produced five goals.

That was almost six midway through the half. However, Phillips pulled off a fine save to deny Presley his third.

It seems strange to say, but a fifth goal at that point would have been handy for Bassett as Slimbridge started to exert some significant pressure as half time loomed.

And their persistence was eventually rewarded when Rhys Sarson received a Jack Smith cross and made no mistake to make it 4-2 on the stroke of half time.

As much as it could have done, that goal failed to unsettle Bassett.

Presley finally got his hat trick on the hour, finishing off an incisive counter to make it 5-2.

There was now no way back for Slimbridge.

A Watts lob did make it 5-3. But Bassett had the final say, as youngster Finn Hopkins - coming off the bench as he returns from injury - completed the scoring.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 5th October 2024 at 19:48