Ladies survive Keynsham scare in game of two halves

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Ladies held on for a 4-3 victory in the face of a spirited comeback attempt by visitors Keynsham Town Development.

Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, 27th October 2019

At half time of their home encounter with Keynsham Town Development, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Ladies were well in command. A superb, hard-working performance saw them earn a 3-0 lead against last season's South West Regional Women's Football League Premier Division runners-up. It appeared to be an unassailable position.

However, a poor second half display saw Bassett gift Keynsham a way back into the game. And it seemed as if the home side were going to walk away from the game with a point at best. Somehow though, they managed to sneak a victory, Hayley Huckin's second of the game, scored against the run of play, proving vital to seal the win by the odd goal in seven.

Bassett had been in dominant form in the first half.

They went ahead after just three minutes. Hannah Gulliver's cross evaded everyone in the box but Huckin was able to chase down the loose ball and swung in a deliver of her own, which Lauren Kayll header home.

Bassett continued to mount pressure after taking an early lead, with Huckin's pace proving particularly problematic for the visitors.

After failing to find the net in conventional fashion, the forward eventually converted to double Bassett's advantage, scoring directly from a cross.

It was a second goal that her team richly deserved. And Kayll soon extended it further with an outstanding goal. Kayll's clever dummy allowed her to beat her marker and she smashed a drive into the top corner.

Huckin then almost made it four within five minutes of the restart but her header from a Kayll delivery was well saved by Lucy Bidgood who had taken over in goal at half time for Keynsham.

That almost proved costly.

The visitors got one back with a long range effort from Hannah Simms on 53 minutes:

And she grabbed a second in almost identical fashion within a minute of registering her first.

Huckin then passed up a one-on-one opportunity before Laura Jefferies' goalline clearance at the other end kept Bassett in front.

A two goal lead was then restored on 66 minutes. It came well against the run of play, Huckin bursting past her marker before slotting home.

But Keynsham weren't subdued.

A pair of corners led to shots narrowly off target before Simms got her third with quarter of an hour to go, again beating Alice Farnell from distance.

The game was therefore finely poised going into the final minutes.

Bassett has an opportunity to finally put the game to bed but Jefferies curled inches over from a free kick.

Three minutes later Farnell did just enough to deny Emily Plummer a free run at a cross. The ball fell to Sophie Allen though but she saw her shot deflected wide. A brave claim from Farnell from the resulting corner then proved to be the final action of note, the Bassett 'keeper suffering a knock but, courageously, helping preserve all three points in a tense, thrilling contest.