IT MAY not have been pitch perfect but Wootton Bassett Town ran riot in the second half at Reading Town to secure a 3-1 win.

A hat-trick from Steve Robertson was enough to secure the three points and get Paul Braithwaite looking up the league rather than over his shoulder.

Bassett took the lead midway through the first half when Henry Traas intercepted the ball in midfield and put a reverse pass over the Reading back four for Robertson to run into the path of and hit it on the half volley.

The lead was short-lived as seven minutes later as Tyler Sheppard was caught in possession and Liam Ferdinand was played in to score before the break.

Despite dominating most of the second period it took until ten minutes from the end before they could re-store their lead.

Robertson intercepted the ball in the middle before playing a one-two with Sheppard on the edge of the box and was able to hit home from seven yards out.

The hat-trick was completed when Callum Wright intercepted the ball in midfield, before playing it wide to Hugo Vivash who was able to stab the ball back into Sheppard who put it across to Robertson to score from a similar distance.

“It was a good result and I think the important thing for us yesterday was to pick up the three points on Saturday however it came,” said Braithwaite.

“We have been looking below us a little bit and it gives us the opportunity to look above.

“I have got to pay credit to the lads. The work rate they put in was phenomenal on a very heavy pitch, probably the worst pitch we have played on all season.

“To be playing away at Reading, who you think would be comfortable on that pitch, the second half we just ran riot.

“The fitness levels were better than theirs and with a lot of players missing I have got to take my hat off to the lads.

“I know we are not going to win every game between now and the end of the season but we need to keep picking up three points here and there.

“Another nine or 10 points will do us nicely and anything else we can get above that will be a good bonus to move us up a spot or two come the end of the season.”

Sixteen year-old Vivash, who was involved in Bassett’s second goal came in for praise from Braithwaite after the game, who believes that the strength in depth at the club is looking good.

“He is a young 16-year-old who has come from the under 18s. He got his debut against Ascot in mid-week and he is doing alright to be fair,” he added.

“He is not going to play every game but he has done well for a young lad to come in at 16.”