Royal Wootton Bassett Town fell to defeat at the Adobe Women's FA Cup third qualifying round stage for a fourth year in a row as Forest Green Rovers secured a comfortable 3-1 triumph at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground.

An unfortunate own goal from Kelly Nightingale as she headed a free kick from deep on the left into her own net gave higher level Forest Green the lead on the quarter hour mark.

Hattie Jones' near post header from an inswinging corner doubled their advantage ten minutes before half time.

That left Bassett with a lot to do in order to avoid the same fate they had suffered at this stage in each of the three previous campaigns after two defeats against Torquay United and a further loss against AFC Stoneham.

They were by no means out of the contest though.

The opening period had been relatively even - and it said much that both Forest Green goals came from set pieces.

And Bassett came close to snatching a goal back when Elle Scott narrowly shot over from twenty yards out as time wound up down.

But the tie was all but settled just before the hour mark when Leilani Ryder made it 3-0, squeezing a shot in from a tight angle after Bassett conceded possession deep in their own half.

Lauren Bulley did pull one back for Bassett with twenty minutes to go. Bulley initiated a move that saw Tori Taylor thread a through ball into the path of Hannah Gulliver. Gulliver saw her attempted blocked but the ball was knocked loose to Bulley who coolly slotted home.

Yet that proved only to be a consolation goal as Bassett once fell just short of a Women's FA Cup first round appearance.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Sunday 5th October 2025 at 21:10