Seven games into the new season, and Royal Wootton Bassett Town remain without a win as Jonny Aitkenhead's side's latest outing saw them fall to a 2-1 home defeat against Thornbury Town, with a penalty conceded on the stroke of half time proving pivotal.

While that record may seem worrying, Bassett must surely be due their long awaited first victory. Just two games so far - the 4-0 home defeat to Bradford Town and 2-0 FA Cup loss against Winslow United - have been decided by more than a single goal. Their three other defeats - the latest against Thornbury - have all been by the narrowest of margins, with two losses coming courtesy of very late goals.

Bassett didn't have to suffer late heartbreak against Thornbury. But luck and the lack of a clinical edge in front of goal again conspired against them in a game where, on another day, Aitkenhead's side would have come away with at least a point.

Given the teams' respective league positions last season, a close contest was expected, and so it proved with both teams largely cancelling each other out in the early exchanges.

There were half chances for both teams early on as Josh Sawyer held comfortably from a low Jeremy Agyemang shot while Finn Hopkins had an effort blocked near the goalline after Thornbury 'keeper Mackensie Welsh spilled a catch on the edge of the box.

The first time that either goalkeeper was really called into action came after the half hour mark when Sawyer was forced to acrobatically tip away from Harry Brock's cross-cum-shot from deep on the right.

Otherwise, the lack of goalmouth action meant the teams appeared set to go into the break all square.

That was until the visitors were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the first half.

Splitting the Bassett defensive and midfield lines, Sam Moseley played a clever reverse pass into the path of Callum Chalmers, who nipped in front of a sliding Jack Coward before bursting into the box where he drew a foul from Harry Messenger.

There were no arguments with the decision, and Chalmers dusted himself down before narrowly beating Sawyer with a low shot into the bottom left corner.

Bassett made a positive start when play resumed, though Thornbury shotstopper Mackenzie Welsh remained largely untrouble. The closest the hosts came was through Messenger who sent a left foot drive from just outside the area narrowly over.

A moment of class from Moseley then brought Thornbury their second shortly after the hour. After the Thornbury man had taken a heavy touch, Keanu Miller launched into a crunching challenge on Ed Taylor in which the midfielder got the ball. Play broke to Moseley, who, with space and time to size up a shot, arrowed a powerful strike from 25 yards beyond a despairing Sawyer and into the left corner of the net.

Thornbury were then close to icing the game as Moseley whipped in a cross from the right that Agyemang, charging in at the left post, headed over.

With ten minutes to go it was game on as Harrison Edwards pulled a goal back. Finn Hopkins could only find the wall as he attempted to shoot at goal from a free kick, but the rebound broke for Edwards who produced a first time stunner from 25 yards that flew beyond Welsh.

Bassett were now throwing everything they had at Thornbury - which left them susceptible to the break, which allowed Thornbury to create another great chance for a third, which Chalmers squandered as he lifted over after being played in by Miller.

A second yellow for Thornbury captain Nathan Sage had Bassett playing the final moments of the match at a numerical advantage.

And Bassett almost salvaged a point in stoppage time.

Coward clipped a pass into the left channel for Louis Spalding whose low delivery into the box was deflected into the path of an unmarked Hopkins. But from ten yards he could only shoot straight at Welsh. The 'keeper's parry fell to the hosts, with Spalding recycling another cross into the box. This time he delivered deep to the far post, with a well positioned Jacob Ryan inches away from getting his head to the ball.

Bassett's misfortune therefore continues, with a strong enough second half display bearing no fruit courtesy of the penalty and a moment of Moseley magic.

Credit: Stuart Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 29th August 2026 at 21:23