Royal Wootton Bassett Town lost ground at the foot of the Hellenic League Premier Division table after suffering a heavy 6-3 defeat in a six pointer away at fellow strugglers Hallen.

A porous defense - not helped by the lack of support from an unwilling midfield - once again proved to be Bassett's Achilles heel as Jonny Aitkenhead's side conceded four times in a disastrous first half.

That meant, despite a spirited second half effort, Bassett found themselves on the receiving end of another lopsided loss.

It didn't help that Bassett trailed within the opening 120 seconds of the match as Elliot Gardner outpaced the visiting defence before sending a fine strike beyond Lewis Clark.

Gardner almost scored a carbon copy of his opener a few minutes later, but Clark saved well with his feet.

However it was soon enough 2-0 as Luke Bence headed in from a corner.

And Harrison Fairman quickly made it three following an incisive break.

Bassett were all at sea and not even a double substitution midway through the half could shore things up.

Hallen struck the post twice in the same move before Gardner somehow skewed over with the goal at his mercy.

He eventually scored his second with half time looming, seizing on a defensive error after Clark miskicked from a looping Jack Coward backpass to present the Hallen man with an open goal.

Bonsa Teshome almost pulled a goal back before the interval but was denied by a fine Harry Thomas Barker save after a great ball in from Marcel Lewis.

But the visitors were lucky not to be 5-0 down when Fairman headed a Gardner cross onto the post.

The half time break came as some relief, but shortly after the restart Bassett put the ball into their own net and were fortunate that the assistant referee's intervention ruled the goal out.

Aitkenhead's side then enjoyed a spell in which they were on top and pulled one back through George Cook whose cross deceived Thomas Barker and crept in.

The 'keeper redeemed himself by keeping out a Lewis effort as Bassett continued to assert themselves.

Yet those efforts proved in vain as Cory Thomas Barker fired in from the edge of the box for 5-1.

The final few minutes saw three further goals.

Good pressure from Ben Cleary forced an error from Harry Thomas Barker that Lewis capitalised upon in the 88th minute.

Two minutes later Lewis scored his second from the edge of the area following good work from Cook.

And he could have had a hat trick - and pull Bassett within one goal - when his header hit the bar.

But Hallen - deserved winners - were to have the final say as Masood Garder's left footed strike made it 6-3.

A game that Bassett could ill afford to lose thus ended in another painful defeat - with the team conceding six for a third time in their last eight league matches.

A reaction is needed next week away at Cribbs in another crucial fixture.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 15th November 2025 at 20:46