Following first half goals from Jordan Murphy and Manny Olaloko and a second half finish from Bailey Gallagher, the Hellenic League fixture between Worcester Raiders and Royal Wootton Bassett Town was abandoned due to a thick sheet of fog.

Neither team managed to grab a firm hold of the game in the early moments of the fixture with the Bass threatening from a long range effort from Hobson-McVeigh, but it was Jordan Murphy who would find the breakthrough for Raiders.

After a heated debate from both sides and discussions between the officials, referee, Robert McDonald, and linesman concluded that the ball had been handled inside the box at the 16 minute mark. Jordan Murphy converted his penalty, stroking the ball into the right side of the net.

The momentum was clearly in Raiders hands from that point on with 8th place Royal Wootton Bassett fighting to keep in the game.

Jordan Murphy showed his class as he gracefully drifted past his marker on the left wing, before laying the ball off to Isaac Cooper on the edge of the box. Cooper’s stinging shot was strongly parried by Matthew Crowther, only to fall to Manny Olaloko, who stuck his shot into the ground, looping the goalkeeper. That was the striker’s second goal in two games, having joined from Alvechurch on loan.

Going into the break, Raiders looked well on top. However, despite having the favourable chances in the first half, Raiders struggled to make an impact throughout the second half.

After a lacklustre start from the hosts, Royal Wootton Bassett grabbed one back through Bailey Gallagher, who stuck low and hard past Ryan Young and into the bottom right corner with the away side sparking major worries for Raiders faithful.

Opposition ‘keeper Crowther was called into action once more as Jordan Murphy’s blistering shot was gathered by the assured goalkeeper.

At the 70 minute mark, there were doubts that the game would be able to continue with the sheet of fog continuing to thicken over the Sixways surface. The officials consulted each other and continued play for 15 minutes before referee, Robert McDonald, deemed the conditions unplayable, even after a swift change to an orange match ball.

A date for a replay of the fixture will be announced in due course.

Raiders: Young, Halpin, Warren-Paul, Billingham (C), Sauntson, Patterson, Olaloko (Ferron), Gaffney, Smith (Monaghan), Murphy, Cooper

Unused subs: Stratford, Lewis, Waldron

Words from Bobby Noakes.