16 Apr 2007 - A team in Dave Kinder Cup Final

The 'A' team were awarded their match against Westbury after an incident where a net post was brought down.

15 Apr 2007 - Both teams win 3-0 away

The 'A' team against Aquae Sulis and the 'B' team against Aquae Sulis! Check the Bees Team Page for a match report.

11 Feb 2007 - Both teams win 3-0

The 'A' team against Olympiad and the 'B' team against Salisbury Barras.

28 Jan 2007 - Bassett Ladies unbeaten in Bath

See the ladies team page.

23 Jan 2007 - Bassett A Win at Melksham

Match reporting by Phil Heads

Situation: A-team away at Melksham tonight (freezing cold sports hall). Remember we lost our first match of the season against Melksham, 23-25 in the final set. Olivier and Richard were away on business today, Craig and Irwin injured (Irwin fell off some scaffolding yesterday and broke his wrist). We had 6 men: Cliff, Stuart, Jorg, Mike, Phil and Ben (who hasn't played since early December) plus Jodie and Cinzia warming the bench (they were there for SW ladies training). Melksham fielded a near full strength team, including an NVL Div 1 player but excluding Kelly (injured).

Set 1 Neither team at their best, WB scramble home 25-23 (from 20-21, because we believe in ourselves and Melksham expect us to be tough).

Set 2 Melksham win 25-22 and look in control.

Set 3 We're losing 13-18, so we bring Jodie on - she makes a block and hits a winner. We're losing 15-23, so we bring Cinzia on. We win a side-out, 16-23. Cinzia serves 8 winners (including several aces), 24-23. A Melksham player kicks the ball, is penalised by the referee, so we win 25-23. Cinzia is voted player of the match by the other team.

If you wrote the script, no-one would believe you. Don't you just love sport?

LOVE IT !

10 Dec 2006 - Bassett B - repeat themselves. Depleted Bassett A still win

The B-team played well but ultimately lost 2-1 to Aquae Sulis B (again!). Lots of good individual performances, and Ian played his best game yet.

The injury-hit A-team (lacking Craig, Olivier, and Ben) faced a similarly depleted Aquae Sulis A and worked very hard as a team to win 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-20). Jorg deservedly won player-of-the-match for his excellent middle blocking, and Cliff did a wonderful job for the team as our other middle blocker.

Very special thanks to Bing and Sue for refereeing the A-team game at short notice (no neutral referees were available), to Tracey for keeping the scorebook in both matches (and for organizing an excellent Christmas social on Saturday night!), to Craig for coming to support us, and to Becky for bringing him!

Aquae Sulis A beat Melksham recently, so the premier league is still wide open with 4 teams vying for the championship. The A-team's next game is away to unbeaten Westbury on Wednesday (leave Lime Kiln 6.45pm) and we hope to have Olivier and Ben back from injury.

7 Dec 2006 - Bassett Player injured in SW training

Craig (Mr Duracell) had an argument with a wall at South West training and broke a bone in his arm.

2 Dec 2006 - Bassett Ladies Unbeaten in Ladies/Junior Cup

A great day for the ladies with five wins from five matches.  Bassett B then lost 1:2 to Aquae Sulis B

13 Nov 2006 - Bassett B - Win against Olympiad

Bassett B came back from Chippenham with a 3-0 victory, erasing the memory of the previous night at home.  The first set went to 25-20, a fairly comfortable win.  The second we dominated completely winning 25-5.  We lost our way somewhat in the third set.  Some of those terrible serving errors crept back into our game and we trailed most of the set.  In the final points Bassett clawed back to equality at 22:22 and again at 24:24.  Finally we won what might have been the longest ever rally for the deciding point to take a 27:25 win.  Bing deservedly took the Man of the Match award - he made a big contribution.

Squad - Helen, Mike, Richard, Mia, Jodie, Sue, Bing, Ian plus coach Irwin.

12 Nov 2006 - Bassett A - Win against Salisbury, B lose to Olympiad

Bassett B lost 2-1 to Olympiad in a tight game.  We principally failed to serve well, conceding far too many soft points by serving into the net.  We lost 20-25, 21-25, 25-23.  It would not have taken much more to swing it our way.  Helen was our Man of the Match.  In a strange quirk of scheduling fate we go to them tomorrow; intending to win away.

Bassett A won 3-0 against Salisbury - 25-19, 25-11, 25-10.  Mike Green picked up the Man of the Match award in his debut game for the A team.

11 Nov 2006 - Bassett Ladies/Juniors win three from five  

See the BRAND NEW ladies team page (Click Here) for report.

16 Oct 2006 - Bassett A - Win against Olympiad

Match reporting by Cliff Ball

We were short on the ground with Olivier in Japan, Stuart still hobbling, Phil governing and Richard working. So Bing and Helen did the honours of playing for us to make a squad of 7 and help us to victory. We should have won 3 - 0 but faded at the end to lose 26 -24, but at least it goes some way to avenging the defeat the previous week by Melksham.

12 Oct 2006 - Bassett B - Two in a row

Match reporting by Shi Bing and Richard Howells

Wootton Bassett B traveled to Salisbury to play Salisbury Barras in the Wiltshire Leagues and came away with a 2:1 win.

Here is a brief report of tonight's match from your temporary B team captain. We won the match 2-1, (25-10, 25-16, 24-26). Aurelie won the man (woman?) of the match award. 

Players: Mike, Aurelie and Helen (wing) Ian and Jodie (middle) Cinzia and Bing (setter)  

We won first and second set easily.  Every one was excellent.  Aurelie and Cinzia served brilliantly and received reliably. Jodie and Ian hit well in the middle.  Ian achieved several killer blocks - one of his specialties.  Aurelie, Helen and Mike hit very effectively without unforced errors. Cinzia and Bing set accurately giving the hitters plenty of opportunity.

In the third set the players relaxed and lost concentration.  We lost soft points through unreliable service reception, and the hitters became too ambitious and hit out of court.  These problems were so costly that we were 10 points behind the Salisbury team.  We came back at the end of the set to level at 24-24 at last.  This was a great recovery but the loss of the last two points sent the set to Salisbury.  We could have won 3-0 and we probably should have.

So Wootton Bassett B - unbeaten this season.  You don't know how good it is to say that!

08 Oct 2006 - Bassett B Secure Maiden Win

Match reporting by Richard Howells

Wootton Bassett B hosted Calne Meteorites and won comfortably 3 sets to nil.  25/12, 25/17, 25/13.  This is a great start to the season and a boost to the team morale.  Last season we didn't win a match.

Wootton Bassett A hosted Melksham ACCSU.  After a good start winning the first set 25/23 they faded, despite having chances, to eventually lose 2 sets to 1.  25/23, 26/28, 26/28.

07 Oct 2006 - Bassett Ladies Unbeaten

Match reporting by Sue Mills and Phil Heads

Wootton Bassett Ladies/Juniors went to Bath to play in the Wiltshire Ladies League.  A very satisfactory result - played 3 won 3.  Congrats to Sue, Cinzia, Jodie, Mia, Matt, Aurelie and guest player Jacky from Westbury.

Setters: Sue, Cinzia; Middle: Mia, Jodie;  Wing: Aurelie, Matt, Jacky.

Scores (30 minute timed matches): 60-22 vs Melksham; 43-33 vs Devizes A; ?? - ?? vs Devizes B

Team captain, Sue Mills said, I am delighted that Wootton Bassett is now able to field a team in the Ladies/Junior League.  The whole team played well as a unit.  We were able to deliver some great three touch Volleyball. 

Club coach, Phil Heads, said - It's a pleasure to see Wootton Bassett again have the numbers to allow running a team in the ladies/juniors league, something we have not been able to do over the last few years.  This is a great start for the ladies/juniors.  As many of them also play for our development squad it is also a good springboard for the B team campaign starting tomorrow.  It's hard to believe that Matt has only played once before - he did really well!

11 Sep 2006 - Bassett Volleyball Veterans Bounce Back!

Match report by Irwin Aiken

Wootton Bassett Volleyball Vets fought their way through to the final of the South West Veterans Volleyball Championships at Bath. 7 Teams from around the region played at this years' knockout tournament, where players have to be over 35 to play.

As usual the standard of play was high and after the first pool of matches entry to the semi-finals was decided on points difference, with Bassett coming second overall, reflecting their quality and consistency of play in the earlier rounds, and narrowly missed being placed first after a tense pool match with Bristol City I, in which Stuart Daniel was injured as they started to dictate the pace of the match.

The semi finals were played between Bristol City I vs II and Bassett vs Plymouth. Plymouth started with a 7 point lead under the handicapping rules, but with some consistant attacking play the squad whittled away their advantage , piling on the pressure to take the lead with a very focused team effort to assure them a place in the Final against Bristol City I.

In the final Bassett were narrowly defeated after keeping in touch with City and were only 2 points adrift as a tiring squad were left to reflect on whether being reduced to the minimum of 6 players by through injury had taken its toll. Bristol mounted a wave of telling attacks, leading to a well earned victory.

Bassett club coach Phil Heads later described the teams performance in the Final as; "Very creditable against a side made up of 4 current National League Div 1 Players, and gives an indication of what we are capable of in the coming season".

Bassett, who train on a Sunday evening at Lime Kiln Sports Centre in Wootton Bassett from 7-9pm welcome new players of all standards. For more information visit www.WoottonBassettVBC.co.uk or call Richard on 01793 731225.

L to R 

Reg Thorpe, Cliff Ball, Olivier Burois,  Dave Godfrey, Irwin Aiken, Stuart Daniel, Phil Heads (coach)