Bulley double lifts Bassett past Downend
A first half Lauren Bulley brace ensured Royal Wootton Bassett Town go into the new year unbeaten in the South West Regional Women's Football League Division One North as James Lally's side triumphed 2-1 at Downend Flyers.
The result means Bassett have dropped two points from the opening 24 available to them - and that they head into the Christmas break second in the table with their title hopes firmly intact.
It's still very much a wide open race. Mangotsfield United currently sit top of the tree, a point ahead of Bassett though having played two games more.
Corsham Town - with seven wins from seven - can go above all sides if they win their games in hand. Whitchurch - with 21 points from ten games - are still in the mix, while last season's runners-up Bitton are also lurking with 16 points from seven games.
Cirencester Town and Bath City - fifth and sixth respectively - may be outsiders for the title. Yet they have sufficient quality to have a decisive say in who will finish top.
The same is true of Downend, who - like they have been for almost all teams they have faced this season - were tricky, testing opponents for Bassett.
But Bulley - who came into the game in a rich vein of scoring form with five goals in the past three games - made a decisive impact to help earn her side victory.
She took her first brilliantly. Briony Hurd redirected an attempted clearance with a powerful header that Tori Taylor flicked on in behind the Downend defence and into Bulley's path. She then outmuscled two defenders before her powerful drive from the edge of the box proved too hot to handle.
Bulley then made it 2-0 from the penalty spot to put Bassett in charge.
A fine finish from Annabel Bean pulled one back for Downend in the second period. Direct play from the hosts broke the Bassett lines, with Bean played in down the right channel. Bean then arrowed a rasping drive into the top left corner from the edge of the box, leaving Millie Powell no chance in the Bassett goal.
That would be all Downend could muster though - with Bassett successfully passing another difficult test.