Summer signing Caitlin Brooks scored five first half goals as Royal Wootton Bassett Town recorded an emphatic 6-2 victory away at St Vallier in a battle between two of South West Regional Women's Football League Division One North's top half sides.

The result saw Bassett bounce back in style following last Sunday's narrow defeat at home against leaders Gloucester City.

Furthermore, the three points help keep Bassett in touch with second and third place sides Cirencester Town and Bitton in what is proving, as expected, to be a highly competitive division.

Brooks struck twice in the opening ten minutes to put Bassett in a commanding position early on.

Her first followed up great build up play involving Honor Fraser, Jasmine Kennedy and Emma Sykes.

Brooks then almost instantly added a second, heading in at the far post from a Fraser delivery.

It was by no means all Bassett in the opening stages, with Millie Powell saving well from Georgia Adams.

But Brooks was clinical and soon had her hat trick, Mia Sanghara feeding Laura Jefferies whose cross teed up the forward for her third.

Powell made another good save to keep out Keziah Welsh before Brooks made it 4-0.

Fraser seized possession before picking out Maddy Elliott. Elliott's touch took her slightly too wide to shoot herself, but she kept her composure and laid the ball off for Brooks who did the rest.

St Vallier were able to get one back when a stray Bassett pass fell into the path of Evangeline Foster who beat Powell from twenty yards.

But Brooks restored Bassett's four goal lead with her fifth of the opening half, heading home from another Fraser delivery.

Elliott extended Bassett's lead further shortly after the restart, steering in at the far post from Jefferies' dangerous free kick delivery.

The score remained that way until just over ten minutes to go when Paige Stewart headed beyond Thea Hopkins, who was introduced for her debut late on in place of Powell.

But that was nothing more than a consolation as Brooks' first half finishing masterclass was more than enough to fire Bassett to a convincing triumph.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Sunday 10th November 2024 at 19:54