WOOTTON Bassett Town boss Paul Braithwaite is feeling the love for the Wiltshire Senior Cup after seeing his team come out on top in their ‘good old-fashioned derby’ with Malmesbury Victoria on Saturday.

Bassett were given a thorough examination by their Wiltshire League opponents, who had already claimed the scalp of Hellenic League Premier Division opposition in the FA Vase by beating Bracknell Town earlier this month, but eventually ran out 3-2 winners after extra-time at the Flying Monk Ground.

Braithwaite is now looking forward to the second round of the county competition and says that he's a huge fan of the local challenges thrown up in the Senior Cup.

“The Wilts Cup is always a good competition because you get to play against sides that you don’t usually get to play against and you get to see styles of football from other leagues,” said the Bassett chief.

“I think it’s the competition that has the most interest in it locally and we want to give it a good go.

“I have to say how well the game against Malmesbury was reffed because there were some big challenges and a few times where people could have been sent off for being the last man but the referee kept 11 people on the bench.

“It was a good old-fashioned local derby and I was happy that we edged it.

“Malmesbury make it difficult for you to play. Their pitch isn’t really one that you can play football on so they switch it a lot and make things hard, and fair dues to them.

“Lewis Petrie played in his first game for the first team and he changed the game when he came on at half-time so fair dues to him as well.”

A minute into the second half, Chris Andrews’ clearance from his own half bounced all the way over the head of goalkeeper Ben Mitchell to give Malmesbury the lead in bizarre fashion but Bassett hit back as Steve Yeardley levelled things up.

When the home side won a penalty, Ed Wilkins could only find the post with his spot-kick and in extra-time, Shaun Terry’s screamer was cancelled out by Jordan Thompson’s deflected effort.

That set up Henry Traas to scrappily bundle home the visitors’ winner late on.