Purple pain

After record-making runs to the third round in each of the past three seasons, Royal Wootton Bassett Town's participation in this year's Isuzu FA Vase was brought to an end at the first hurdle as Sam Collier's side were well beaten 3-0 in their first round tie away at Wessex League Premier Division AFC Stoneham.

Bassett were a clear second best as Stoneham - neat and tidy in possession while making use of clever moment off the ball - jumped into a 2-0 half time lead before putting the game well and truly to bed midway through the second period.

Only in the final quarter of the match - with the game beyond them - did Bassett finally spark into life. But not even a consolation was forthcoming as they immediately exited with little more than a whimper a competition that for the past three years has brought much success to the club.

Bassett fell behind as early as the ninth minute. A long ball over the top from centre half Jake Thompson did for them, with Tyrrell Sampson racing onto it before curling a fine effort from the left edge of the area into the back of the net with the aid of the right post.

There was to be no real reaction to going behind early from Bassett, who should have come into the game full of confidence going forward after netting 17 goals in their last four games.

Admittedly it didn't help their cause that target man Chris Zebroski pulled up in the warm up.

But the best they could muster were half chances, with Bailey Gallagher failing to connect with a clean header when well placed following a Noah Coates cross and Alfie Presley snatching at a close range effort that Callum Lee tipped around the near post.

And with three minutes to go until the interval they found themselves in a deep 2-0 hole.

Stoneham were able to advance forward with ease, and Jamie Johnston danced through to break the midfield line before feeding Mat Bainbridge, who brushed off the attentions of Adam Corcoran before finishing with aplomb into the bottom corner.

The hosts almost had a third in stoppage time too when Alex Welch teed up an unmarked Jim Orvis but he skewed a shot straight at James Foster.

Despite facing a 2-0 deficit, it was a case of as things were for Bassett when play resumed. An early substitute did soon arrive with George Peare replacing Adam Corcoran - though this was a like-for-like change with Peare - a player capable of playing at either end of the pitch - slotting into the heart of defence.

Bassett then had a huge let off when Johnston, with a free run at goal after Owen Fee's clever overhead kick on the halfway line split the visiting defence, somehow placed wide of the left post when it seemed easier to score.

But Stoneham's third soon arrived. The hosts broke with conviction after a Bassett corner came to nothing. Fee fed Sampson in the left channel and he drove towards goal before cutting inside Ollie Case and coolly slotting into the bottom corner for his second.

That was game, set and match with just under half an hour still to play.

Stoneham knew that, barring a miraculous comeback, they had their name in the hat for Monday's second round draw. And they did take their foot off the gas a little, while Bassett finally sought to throw some caution to the wind.

There was to be a brief flurry of chances for Bassett too. Noah Coates forced Lee to tip behind for a corner with a tight-angled shot, with Case heading wide at the back post from the resulting corner.

Then, after Alfie Presley had shot straight at Lee, the home 'keeper presented Brad Pagliaroli with what should have been a present as he passed straight to the Bassett winger. However Pagliaroli's attempted chip sailed over.

It was clear that it wasn't to be Bassett's day when a triple effort soon came to nothing. Lee injured himself in the process of making a point-blank save to deny Pagliaroli before Lewis Nagle threw his body in the way to block Tom Moore's close range follow up. The ball then broke for Presley who sliced over from a matter of yards out at the left post.

Lee was unable to continue after the knock he sustained with substitute Tom Annetts - an outfield player - receiving the call to take over between the sticks.

Bassett were unable to find a way past Stoneham's auxiliary 'keeper though. Seemingly wrong-footed, Annetts did brilliantly to change direction and parry a deflected Pagliaroli free kick the wrong side of the post. He then made further, more routine saves to keep out Ollie Pitt and Pagliaroli.

With Bassett finally pressing, Stoneham had opportunities to further extend their winning margin too.

A counter-attack that Nagle initiated ended with Alex Welch drilling just wide of the left post while an unmarked Orvis shot straight at Foster after being teed up by Duarte Martins shortly before the final whistle.

Bassett's participation in this year's Vase therefore ended with little to show for it. Their six game unbeaten streak also is no more.

Focus will now return to the league where the aim will be to bounce back from this cup reverse and continue to make up ground in the hunt for another Hellenic League Premier Division playoff finish.

Player of the match: Noah Coates - linked up well with Brad Pagliaroli on the right side and demonstrated the will to get forward and run at the Stoneham defence that was missing in other areas of the pitch.