Royal Wootton Bassett Town finished their Hellenic League Premier Division campaign in winning fashion with an impressive 2-1 victory away against Westfields.

The result secured a first ever season double for Bassett over Westfields and keeps Sam Collier's side in sixth place.

However Bassett will have a nervous wait to see if that is where they will finish after Pershore Town and Worcester Raiders won by the same score against Highworth Town and Fairford Town respectively.

Both those teams can overtake Bassett - so long as they win their final games of the season.

Westfields' AllPay Park is never an easy place to visit, making Bassett's victory - their third in a row at the ground - look all the better.

Chances were at a premium in the first half as both teams found the going somewhat difficult on a rock hard, bobbly pitch.

But Bassett were able to get their nose in front ahead of the interval, taking the lead on the half hour mark through leading scorer Alfie Presley after great work from Finn Hopkins in the build up.

Westfields levelled just before the hour though - and they did so in stunning fashion as Mason Godsall beat Dan Brabham with a lob from near enough the halfway line.

However parity did not last long. Dan Grieve restored Bassett's lead in rather more conventional fashion, robbing possession from the Westfields defence before netting his tenth league goal since arriving in December.

With twelve minutes to go Westfields had a golden opportunity to get back on terms when awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances.

But there was to be justice for the hard done by visitors as Ben Brooks crashed the spot kick against the bar.

The points were therefore Bassett's as they finished their league campaign on a high note.

Ollie Pitt deserves particular praise for his performance on this afternoon. Player of the match by a country mile, he covered every blade of grass on the pitch.

Bassett may have missed out on the playoffs. Yet there is still plenty to play for with (at least) one game still to come in the Marsh Challenge Cup.

If Collier and his team close out the season with a win, it may not mean promotion - the aim back at the very start of the campaign. But it would mean ending the season with silverware.

Now is the time to go after that.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 29th March 2025 at 20:17