Highworth Town took the derby spoils as a pair of players who started the season with Royal Wootton Bassett Town came back to haunt Jonny Aitkenhead's side.

All four Highworth goals in their 4-2 win featured either Marcel or Otis Lewis as they came back to bite their former club.

Their departure from Bassett has been mutually beneficial, coinciding with the midseason run that all but guaranteed Bassett's Hellenic League Premier Division status while giving the twins a new lease of life. But on this afternoon there was only one side who benefited.

The first big chance of the match fell to Bassett as Highworth 'keeper James Walker produced an acrobatic save to tip Ben Cleary's powerful header from Harry Messenger's teasing cross over the bar.

Marcel Lewis then gave the visitors an early lead as he struck a low free kick from the right edge of the box into the bottom left corner.

And he would have soon had a second were it not for a fine saving tackle from Lewis Thorne.

Bassett then equalised as Rudi Hopkins' deft touch guided a Jack Coward ball out from the back into the path of Ed Taylor who took one touch before coolly slotting home.

An end of season contest with little riding on the outcome except for local pride, both sides sought to attack in an end to end contest.

For Bassett Coward guided headers from two Hopkins corners just off target, while Thorne saw an effort deflected over.

But Highworth would go into the break in front.

Two linebreaking passes saw the ball worked up to Marcel Lewis in the right corner and he crossed for Jordan Annear to guide in with a side foot volley.

Bassett were further behind shortly after the restart.

Cheldon Valere picked Messenger's' pocket and played in Marcel Lewis whose low drive from the edge of the area was parried. Annear was quickest to the rebound but saw his effort blocked only for Valere to mop things up.

To their credit Bassett's response was immediate to reduce the deficit back to one.

Marcel Lewis took a theatrical tumble just outside the area in the hope of winning a free kick. But the referee failed to fall for his dive. Messenger then swept a diagonal pass forward that Cleary expertly controlled before arrowing a fine effort into the bottom corner.

Bassett couldn't summon an equaliser though and the Worthians wrapped things up with ten minutes to go.

A counter attack saw substitute Alex Parsons feed Marcel Lewis on the left and his low cross was tapped in at the far post by brother Otis.

Highworth are now guaranteed to finish above Bassett with this result having extended their lead to six points while the Worthians also boast a far superior goal difference.

For Bassett it's now seven games without a win, with the aim in the final two games of the campaign to be to finish with at least one more victory.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Monday 6th April 2026 at 21:12