A late own goal earned Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development a draw away against fourth place Shrivenham in the Wiltshire League Premier Division.

The two sides were meeting for the third time this season having met twice in October, once in the league and once in the Fountain Trophies Cup. Both games had been tight affairs, Shrivenham edging the cup encounter by the odd goal in a 3-2 win and the league meeting at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground at the end of October finishing 1-1.

It was once again to be a tight affair and a somewhat feisty encounter, with both teams finishing the game with just ten men and having their leading striker sent off.

Shrivenham had much the better of things in the first half and had a shout for a penalty when Brad Hirst went down in the box, but luckily for the visitors the appeals were turned away.

Shrivenham were to get themselves in front though, capitalising on an error from Bassett keeper Adam House whose attempted clearance when straight to Brad Hirst. He passed it inside to his brother James, and with House stranded way out of his area, chipped both him and the recovering defender to put Shrivenham 1-0 up.

The game then boiled over when Bassett's leading scorer Prince Nyongolo reacted badly to being held by two Shrivenham players and, after consulting his assistant, Nyongolo saw red, leaving Mark Simpkins' team to play the rest of the game with just ten men.

Having seen one penalty turned away at one end, the same then happened at the other end when a Bassett player went down in the box but once again the appeals were turned away.

Shrivenham continued to have the better of things and Brad Hirst should really have doubled their lead when he rounded House but, credit to the keeper, who continued to hound the Shrivenham striker and did enough to force him away from goal and his eventual shot went wide of the post.

The teams turned around at the break with just the one goal between them.

Shrivenham started the second half where they left off, Kieran Sutton going close to extending their lead but seeing his shot go wide of the right-hand post.

At the other end Bassett had another shout for a penalty when a shot into the box struck the arm of a Shrivenham defender but once again the appeals were waved away.

The two Hirst boys continued to be the most likely to add to the afternoon's goals. First, Brad shot wide from the edge of the box and then James was denied by a good save from House with his feet to keep his side in the game.

Brad Hirst then again went close again and probably should have done better when through on goal.

The visitors grew more and more into the game and started to put the home defence under some pressure. They went close to getting back on level terms with an effort which forced a reflex save from Lewis Fox in the Shrivenham goal.

Bassett then went close again with an effort from distance from Alfie Cook that tested Fox who did well to keep the ball out.

It was to then prove to be afternoon to forget for another of the two team's leading scorers. Shortly after having been booked for a tackle, Brad Hirst was shown a second yellow card for a push on an opposition player as Shrivenham joined Bassett in playing out the closing stages with just ten men.

Bassett continued to push for an equaliser and that goal finally game in the last minute. As with the Shrivenham goal, it involved a defensive error as a Shrivenham player headed a Toby Parker corner into his own net.

Shrivenham had just enough time to take the kick-off before the whistle went for full time and the two teams once again had to share the points.

Shrivenham remain in fourth spot, closing the gap to third placed Swindon Supermarine Development to seven points, while Bassett climbed one place to fifth, moving above Letcombe on goal difference.

Credit: Mark Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 7th February 2026 at 22:44