Bassett snap Brimscombe hex
The Meadow, 1 November 2023
In recent seasons Royal Wootton Bassett Town have been spooked by Brimscombe and Thrupp, winning just one of the teams' twelve most recent league meetings. But that curse was lifted as Sam Collier and his side recorded a 3-1 victory.
Alfie Presley was the star of the show for Bassett, scoring twice while setting up another as the visitors recorded a comprehensive win.
Bassett were the better of the teams, though went into the break with the slenderest of leads thanks to Presley's emphatic opener after half an hour.
Racing onto a ball over the top, he confidently rounded home 'keeper Jordan Schofield before firing into the net from an angle.
The goal came as something of a relief for Bassett who had been in control of the match but otherwise unable to find a way past Schofield.
The 'keeper twice was equal to efforts from Tommy Ouldridge prior to the goal. He then pulled off another pair of decent saves before the break - the first from Scott Chilcott and then again from Presley - to keep the hosts from falling further behind.
Schofield again did well to deny Presley a second from another one-on-one opportunity early in the second half. However that chance came sandwiched between two goalline clearances at the other end, the latter from Jamie Bremner's well struck volley which - somewhat fortuitously - kept Bassett in front.
Soon enough though, Collier and his team could afford to breathe more easily.
With 25 minutes remaining, Presley crossed low from the right for Sam Packer to steer home. Two minutes later Bassett had a penalty which Presley rammed home, sending Schofield the wrong way.
Hungry for a hat trick, Presley certainly wasn't finished for the night and forced Schofield to bat away with quarter of an hour remaining. The rebound fell to substitute Flynn Walters but the home 'keeper was equal to his effort.
His third and Bassett's fourth ultimately proved elusive. Instead Brimscombe were able to grab a consolation when Liam Harper headed home late on.
That was all the hosts could muster though as Bassett found the formula to overcome their bogey side.
With the win, Bassett move further up the Hellenic League Premier Division table into third place, ahead of a tricky run of fixtures that sees visits to Cinderford Town and Worcester City with a home test against Roman Glass St George and FA Vase clash with Longlevens in between.