Dramatic defeat dents Under 18s’ title hopes

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Under 18s let slip a 3-1 lead as they suffered a dramatic 5-3 loss at home against Radstock Town.

The result severely dents Bassett's Wiltshire League Floodlit Division title hopes with Kintbury Rangers now six points clear after winning earlier in the week.

Bassett were hoping to keep the pressure on Kintbury when they met an in-form Radstock side - and it looked like things were very much going to plan until the closing stages of the game.

The home side went in front early on when, following a corner, the ball was played back into the Radstock box by Euan Spackman and full-back Spencer Bowen, who had taken the original corner, was on hand to smash the ball into the net for 1-0.

Bassett then doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark, the goal coming somewhat against the run of play and the result of an error in the Radstock defence, their keeper spilling the ball at the feet of the Joe Beavis who seized on the opportunity to give his side a 2-0 lead.

Radstock continued to push to get a foothold back in the game and were duly rewarded when a cross into the box was not properly cleared and the ball fell to Barclay Lloyd-Foster just inside the 18-yard box and he fired in for 2-1.

The second half continued to see the visitors Radstock have the better of things, but they were to fall further behind just before the hour mark.

A throw-in from the left was flicked on at the near post and fell to substitute Jacob Rendell-Haines who had only just come on and he headed home to make the score 3-1 to Bassett.

Having regained their two-goal advantage, the home side for some reason went very defensive, sitting deeper and deeper inviting the visitors to take the game to them.

While Radstock were creating numerous chances, it remained 3-1 and it took a free kick on 77 minutes to get the Somerset side back in the game. The set piece on the edge of the box was taken by Lex Southall who hit a powerful low shot towards goal which took a deflection off a Bassett defender and ended in the back of the net.

Radstock now had their tails up and went in search of an equaliser.

That equaliser was to come five minutes from time from a throw-in on the right. Just as the throw-in was about to be taken for some reason a Bassett player decided to sit down holding his leg. But the game was allowed to continue and the ball was flicked on and headed in by Bartek Grzywa for 3-3.

Bassett knew they had to win the game and now finally came out of their defensive shell. However, by doing so they left themselves vulnerable at the back.

And they duly conceded a fourth when keeper Finlay Cranswick-Coates failed to gather a difficult high criss into the box and the ball hit Ryan Thatcher on the head and ended up in the back of the net.

It went from bad to worse when Cranswick-Coates failed to hold onto a powerful low shot and the ball fell to Lewis Wheeler who made no mistake for 5-3, making it three goals for Radstock in those last five minutes to win the game.

In the title race, it is now very much advantage Kintbury. Four points from their remaining two games and they will be crowned champions. Bassett, meanwhile, will be hoping that either Warminster Town or Bishops Cannings can do them a favour - but they will then need to make sure they do not drop any more points as well.