Conference North League

Wotton-under-Edge 8 Team Bath Buccaneers B 0

A HIGHLY-MOTIVATED Wotton-under-Edge side saw an opportunity to move nine points clear of third place Team Bath Buccaneers B on Saturday, and that is exactly what they did.

This latest thrashing now means Wotton’s men’s first team have scored a remarkable 30 goals without reply in their last three matches and have scored a massive 83 goals in 16 games, conceding just 12 in the process.

And if Wotton can beat second-placed West Wilts on Saturday it will mean they have taken the scalps of three teams immediately below them – Team Bath Buccs and Swindon being the others – in just a month.

An opening succession of crisp passing worked Bath Buccs about the pitch and set the tone for a Wotton-dominated half, with five goals scored by half time by Ryan Howarth, Dave Newns and a Matt Fairburn reverse-stick strike.

Bath were strong in the second half and showed great character, despite numerous forays by Wotton into their D.

Eventually Bath was awarded a penalty flick. However, a stunning save by George Lampkin denied the home team an opening goal, and Wotton went on to score three more from Neil Curtis, Howarth, completing a hat-trick, and Newns.

Wotton club coach William Cruickshank said after the match: “That is probably the best passing performance I have seen ever by any Wotton side in the first 35 minutes. The never-say-die attitude by Bath was noteworthy and their goalkeeper made some extraordinary saves.”