HELLENIC LEAGUE: Bassett and Vics set for 'biggest derby' (From Swindon Advertiser)

HELLENIC LEAGUE: Bassett and Vics set for 'biggest derby'

6:10am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Football By Ned Payne

DAVE Turner has promised his Wootton Bassett side will provide a much sterner test for Malmesbury at the second time of asking in Division One West tomorrow.

The teams met on the opening day of the season and demoted Bassett, having laid out ambitious plans to return to the Hellenic Premier over the summer, experienced a nightmare start to the campaign.

Luke Sharps and Mitch Wyatt were both sent off early on and the Rylands Way outfit crumbled to a shock 3-0 defeat, but now Turner says this weekend is the time for his team to do themselves justice.

“It’s probably our biggest local derby, there is a lot of history between Malmesbury and Bassett,” said the boss, who will be without the suspended Ethan Delaney.

“The guys that have been here a long time seem to want to win it more than anything.

“We certainly feel we owe them a performance, and if we keep 11 on the pitch then we’ll certainly give them a good game.”

With Turner having admitted that promotion is now out of reach, younger players will be given an opportunity, and the manager revealed that winger Matty McGuinness and defender Kyle Pitts are among those in his plans for the future.

“Those two have done exceptionally well over the last two weeks, and they only came in because of injuries,” said Turner.

“They have given me a real headache and there’s a good chance they could play this weekend.

“I’m looking for young players to take into the first-team squad next year, and if they keep doing what they are doing, then they could be part of that.”

Malmesbury are at the opposite end of the division to Bassett as they are fighting the drop, and Vics boss Simon Winstone admits he would love to be in the position of tomorrow’s opponents.

“I was reading in the paper that Wootton Bassett were disappointed to be in seventh, but that isn’t too bad,” he joked.

“We would have taken that ourselves at the start of the season.”

Chris Brooks, Paul Bains and Paul Hunt are among those expected to miss out for Malmesbury tomorrow.

Elsewhere, Fairford and Highworth are both in action in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup, against Binfield and Ardley respectively.

Highworth have arguably the tougher task as Ardley are flying high at the top of the Hellenic Premier, and Worthians boss Dave Webb does not believe they will take it easy in the cup either.

He said: “They got to the final last year and got beat by Holyport which was a shock to everybody, so I think they will be desperate to win it this time.

“Ardley have got their points on the board in the league so they will be able to put out a decent team.

“I’m sure they will go all-out at the weekend and will have the league and Challenge Cup as their two main priorities.”

Highworth defender Craig Curtis will serve the first of a three-game suspension tomorrow.

Finally, local rivals Cricklade and Purton clash at Stones Lane in the second round of the Supplementary Cup.

The tie is a rearranged fixture because the first attempt was abandoned following a head injury to Ed Jose, who has now recovered and could play tomorrow.

Tom Price will return and there will be late fitness tests for Ben Carter, Kyle Moulden and Bill Charman.

Crick boss Graham Jackson said: “It’s a big game for us, the past month has been tough with injuries, suspensions and players away.”