ADAM Corcoran volleyed home the only goal of the game as Royal Wootton Bassett Town laboured their way to a 1-0 win away at Stonehouse Town in the FA Vase second qualifying round.

Corcoran guided home a Gio Wrona free-kick midway through the second half to ensure Bassett advanced through the FA Vase qualifying rounds for only the second time in the past ten seasons.

It was an otherwise middling display from Sam Collier’s side, who can perhaps be forgiven a tired, below-par effort after last week’s exploits in the FA Cup against National League South opposition.

Ultimately though, they did enough to stave off the threat of an upset against their Hellenic League Division One West opponents, who gave Bassett a run for their money.

Indeed, with Bassett starting on the back foot and never really getting going, Stonehouse found themselves all over their visitors in the opening period. Yet the hosts never went close to breaking the deadlock.

Bassett, meanwhile, were forced to reshuffle the pack twice in the first half as Jack Baker and Chris Taylor were forced off with injuries.

Baker’s replacement Zac Skinner was then himself withdrawn after being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge shortly after the restart.

Being stripped of options to change things up later in the game by virtue of the three enforced substitutions, it perhaps came with some relief for Collier that Corcoran struck when he did, the centre-half producing a fine volley from Wrona’s weighted set piece delivery to break the deadlock.

That proved to be all that was required for Bassett, who were aided by Stonehouse being reduced to ten men late on.

Meanwhile, Shrivenham lost 3-1 away at Fleet Town in the same competition while Fairford Town saw their Hellenic League fixture away at Tuffley Rovers postponed due to a positive Covid-19 case in Rovers’ squad.