ROYAL Wootton Bassett Town lost 4-3 on penalties to Wiltshire and Hellenic League rivals Corsham Town in the third round of the FA Vase on Saturday.

Both sides were hoping to reach the last 32 for the first time in their respective history, but it was Kieran Baggs’ men who edged through following a goalless draw in the preceding 90 minutes.

In a predictably tight and cagey affair, chances did not begin to arrive in earnest until late in the first half. Corsham’s Ryan Bath and Bassett’s Jack Hobson-McVeigh both shot narrowly wide, but the best chance of the opening period fell to the visitors.

Bassett ‘keeper Matt Crowther slipped when trying to deal with a long ball over the top, forcing Chris Taylor and Adam Corcoran to provide important defensive contributions prior to Crowther parrying the final attempt away from danger.

Off-target efforts continued to dominate the game as Bassett also survived a pair of goal-mouth scrambles. Corcoran then headed over with the goal at his mercy, and penalties were required to separate the sides.

Just before the full-time whistle though, Landon Golding was sent off following an altercation in the Corsham box.

In the shoot-out, Chris Taylor, Hobson-McVeigh, and Alfie Presley all scored for Bassett while Louis Spalding and Jowan Partridge saw their penalties saved.

Nathan Davis was the only Corsham player to miss, and Daniel Demkiv secured Corsham’s passage by scoring the winning spot-kick.

Meanwhile, in Southern League Premier South, Swindon Supermarine paid the price for a slow start away at Bracknell Town as they lost 4-2 on Friday night.

Recently on the end of a 3-0 defeat to League One Ipswich Town in the FA Cup second round, the Robins struck with their first attack on Marine’s back line. Kameron English drilled past Liam Armstrong in just the third minute.

Moments later, it was 2-0 after Joe Grant picked the ball up in midfield and lashed a superb strike into the top corner from 30 yards.

Zack Kotwica pulled one back in the 20th minute, drilling into the bottom corner from just outside the box. Marine almost equalised 10 minutes later, but George Dowling saw an effort cleared off the line.

The turning point in the contest came in the 35th minute. Will Tunnicliff was sent off for a handball on the line, and Mickel Platt stuck the penalty away to put Bracknell in control.

Desperate to haul themselves back into the contest, Marine threw everything at their hosts but ended up conceding a fourth goal nine minutes from time when Grant claimed his second from close range.

Harry Williams dispatched a late penalty for the visitors, but it was too little, too late for Lee Spalding’s men.

In Southern League Division One Central, Highworth Town lost 5-3 to Hadley FC on Saturday.