An encouraging clean sheet combined with goals from James Reid, Matt Thornhill, Zak Goodson and Callum Chettle made for a solid performance at Greenwich Avenue.

Reid broke the deadlock with a fine free kick that went in off the crossbar from 25 yards, just after the 22-minute mark.

In the second half, Basford scored three goals in ten minutes to secure victory. Thornhill scored the second free kick of the game with a clever shot past Walsall Wood goalkeeper Reiss Wagstaff before Goodson finished off a good move to make it three and Chettle netted the fourth with a well-placed effort past Wagstaff with just under half an hour to go.

Basford started brightly. James Carvell created the home side’s first chance on the fifth minute with a great early cross that was crying out to be touched home but unfortunately no Basford player anticipated the excellent ball.

Walsall Wood soaked up the early pressure well. Wagstaff pulled out a fantastic flying save to keep Reid’s free kick out before producing another great stop to deny Liam Bateman, all before the 20-minute mark.

Eventually, Basford’s pressure was rewarded as Reid bent a brilliant free kick into the top left corner of Wagstaff’s goal with 22 minutes played. The captain’s effort flew in off the bar from 25 yards.

The visitors’ best chance of the half came from Chad Degville-Cross with ten minutes left of the first half, but his powerful strike was well saved by trialist Jason Alexander.

Both sides started the second half in a lively fashion, Bateman put in a great cross which was inches away from Courey Grantham before Degville-Cross attempted an audacious chip which was comfortably saved by 6ft5 Alexander in the Basford goal.

With less than ten second-half minutes played, Thornhill made it 2-0 with the second free-kick-goal of the game. This one more bizarre than Reid’s as Thornhill confused everyone in the ground by shooting for the near post at a tight angle which was left free by Wagstaff who had anticipated a cross.

The floodgates appeared to have opened as Goodson made it 3-0 five minutes later, after an excellent move and a sharp finish from the young striker.

Substitute Chettle netted Basford’s third goal in ten minutes with a well-placed effort that Wagstaff couldn’t keep out to put the home side 4-0 up.

Despite the score line Walsall Wood did not give up and were unlucky not to pull one back as Phil McKerdy’s shot went just wide of Kieran Preston’s goal.

With 15 minutes left Luke Adams went close for the away side, his effort finding the side netting. Adams later forced a great stop from Preston in the last minute who ensured Basford kept their second clean sheet in three games.

Basford’s next pre-season test is against Ilkeston Town at Greenwich Avenue on Saturday 27th July at 3pm.

Line-ups: Jason Alexander (Kieran Preston 51), Liam Bateman, Richard Wynder (Ryan Wilson 45), Josh Law (Max Foster 45), Brad Gascoigne (Stefan Galinski 45), Lewis Carr (Matt Thornhill 45), James Carvell, Jack Thomas (Kieron Daws 76), Courey Grantham (Callum Chettle 60), James Reid © (Kane Richards 60), Zak Goodson (Liam Hearn 60)

Attendance: 127