MATCH REPORT: Wimborne Town 4-0 Bashley

Wimborne Town 4

Bashley 0

Sat 30th December 2023

Goals: Jackson, Walker, Scorey, Griffin

Att: 1,229

A controlled, professional performance in their final game of 2023 saw Wimborne extend their lead at the top of the table. Two goals in each half, by Sam Jackson and Billy Walker, then Ben Scorey and Sam Griffin, and a clean sheet sent the vast majority of a record crowd home happy.

Manager Tim Sills stayed with the same starting XI, and the same strong bench, from the win over Bishops Cleeve the previous Saturday. After another morning of hard graft by groundsman Steve and his support team ensured that the game took place despite the recent heavy rain.

This local derby had a cagey start as the teams came to terms with each other, the wet surface, and the strong wind behind the visitors. But it was Bashley who gained the upper hand during the first quarter of the game, forcing four corners inside twelve minutes, with Bunce having the first shot of the game. Gradually Wimborne came into the contest: Oakley Hanger’s free-kick fell to Sam Jackson whose fierce shot was bravely headed clear by Rolls; another Hanger free-kick fell to Sam Griffin who volleyed over the bar; Jez Bedford went on a sparkling dribble, then whipped in a dangerous cross.

On twenty-nine minutes the hosts opened the scoring. A “now you see me, now you don’t” run by Harry Morgan took him to the left by-line from where he passed low to Jackson who picked his spot inside the far post – a crisp finish. Billy Walker was, as usual, in the right place to clear a dangerous cross from Bashley’s next attack, before appearing in the right place to double the Magpies’ lead on thirty-eight minutes. A string of fluent passes on the left involving Jackson, Sam Griffin and Matt Neale ended with Jack Lovell being crudely up-ended. Hanger’s free-kick delivery resulted in some pin-ball in the Bashley box until Walker took the opportunity to smash the loose ball into the net – a thumping finish. A jinking run by Bunce was ended by a no nonsense challenge from skipper Sam Roberts as the half came to an end with Wimborne in control.

And Wimborne re-assumed control after the re-start. An instant shot by Lovell, who was having an excellent game leading the line, was an easy save for keeper Casey. But there was little the stopper could do on fifty-two minutes when Ben Scorey received the ball from Jackson centrally just outside the “D”. His shot took a deflection as it dipped under the bar into top right-hand corner – it was his first goal of the season – a cracking finish.

Five minutes later the rampant Magpies almost bagged a fourth with Casey out of his goal following a cross, Bedford’s drive hit the post and rolled along the goal-line before being cleared. Neale sent Bedford through on the right only to be thwarted by a super sprawling save by Casey; next substitute Harry Baker out-muscled his defender before also being thwarted by the keeper’s strong arm. However, Casey was beaten again on eighty minutes. A string of passes from right to left resulted in Walker’s pass to Griffin wide on the left, as the winger strode into the penalty area he managed to scoop the ball over the keeper’s head into the far corner – a surprising finish.

Despite going down to ten men just after the fourth goal, when Roberts went off injured, Wimborne were clearly determined to keep a clean-sheet with Bedford energetically winning the ball back, and Walker being in the right place to head clear at the near post. Bashley’s only shot of the half came in the ninety-fourth minute – it went wide – which tells you what a good performance this was from Tim’s team.

Fortress New Cuthbury? Absolutely – that’s nine wins and a draw from the ten league games here this season. After the first twenty minutes, this was a controlled professional performance. Now the boys have to repeat this form on their travels, starting at Exmouth on Saturday. I must finish with a mention of another massive attendance: 1229 is the best attendance for a league game at New Cuthbury. A record crowd, four goals, a clean sheet, and three points which keep us at the top of the table – Saturday afternoons don’t get much better than this!

Match stats:

Wimborne: Flitney, Hanger (Munn 81), Roberts (capt), Walker, Jackson, Scorey, Neale (Carmichael 72), Morgan, Griffin, Bedford, Lovell (Baker 66)

Unused subs: Beale, Satterley

Attendance: 1229