Match Report: Basingstoke Town 2-3 Chesham Utd 12th Jan

Evo-Stick South Premier Division South Saturday 5th January 2019

Basingstoke Town 2 v 3 Chesham United Attendance 331

With Sam Argent, Charlie Kennedy & Ben Wright returning from injury to the starting squad, as well as the cup-tied Harry Pearse, Martin Kuhl had a number of options to choose from yesterday’s game and went with the following line-up; In goal newbie Tom McGill, the back four of Dean Stow, Charlie Kennedy (Capt), Dan Bayliss & Rob Gerrard. The midfield contained Sam Deadfield, Harry Pearse, Sam Smart & Zidane Akers with upfront Ben Wright & Sam Argent.

On the bench; Orvis, Matthews, Collier, Hollamby & Hunt.

On a grey drab Saturday afternoon Basingstoke attacked the Clubhouse End in the first half.

On 3 mins Basingstoke have the first attack of the game, as an aerial ball about 30yds is met by Argent and a defender, Argent falls to the floor and the ball is met by a decent half-volley shot by Akers from 25yds, but straight at the keeper.

On 6 mins Chesham have their fist attack of the game, as they break down the left, but the shot flies wide of the far post.

On 11 mins Chesham win the first of many free-kicks today. About 30yds out instead of shooting their play-maker No.11 Dave Pearce slides it out wide to the winger who looks to cross, but is stopped by a good blocking tackle by Gerrard and we are able to clear.

On 14 mins they again break our left and this time Gerrard fouls their winger and the very old referee books Gerrard and gives Chesham a free-kick two yards out from the dead-ball line. Chesham’s No.11 is straight on it and sends a wicked in-swinging corner, which McGill is out and punches clear.

On 17 mins good work by Akers as he takes the ball down the left he cuts inside and goes past one defender and then cuts inside the box slides it past another defender, but the ref call for a foul on Akers for pulling the defender back.

On 19 mins another dodgy decision by the ref, as he blows for another foul against Pearse, for what seems a perfectly good tackle.

On 22 mins we break down the right with Smart breaking past one defender then gets a cross in which is blocked well by the second defender.

Minutes 25 to 28 there I very little action of note by either side.

On 29 mins another free-kick to Chesham, another cross into our 6-yd box, is again met by McGill’s punch.

Chesham are now on the front and win two corners in succession, the first is taken in the air by McGill, the second is met by a Chesham head who puts it wide.

Then on 33 mins Chesham do take the lead, after winning another corner down our right. The cross is met by their big No.10 whose header leaves McGill no chance and we are trailing again.

On 35 mins, we draw level as we take the ball down the left, feed the ball to Akers whose good cross is met Argent who heads past the keeper. GOAL Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Chesham Utd.

Then a minute later and Chesham could have regained the lead following a corner, the cross is met a free-header 7yds out and Stow is able to head it off the line and we clear.

Another dodgy referee decision as a tackle by the ref who gives Chesham another free-kick. The kick is another decent kick deep into our box and we are able to scramble the ball away.

On 41 mins we allow them to break again, but the shot from 25yds is takes a strong deflection, which takes all the pace off the ball and McGill is able to recover the ball.

Then on 46 mins we take the lead, after good work by Argent who slots it across to Wright who drops his shoulder, dummies the defender and takes the ball inside to himself, then runs on to it and has a clear one-on-one with the keeper, and Ben Wright does not miss them and slots it into the net. GOAL Basingstoke 2 – 1 Chesham Utd.

Half-time Basingstoke Town 2 – 1 Chesham Utd

We get the second-half underway and the first attack of note is for Basingstoke after good work by Smart down the wing whose cross is met by Wright, whose shot goes 5yds over the bar.

Then on 51mins another tackle, another free-kick to Chesham. The deep cross is back in our penalty box and although Bayliss heads initially clear, Chesham send in another cross which is met by a Chesham forward who heads wide.

It is all Chesham now and they attack down out left, it’s another free-kick and Bayliss I believe goes in the book. The cross has us all over the place at the back we somehow survive.

Then another break by Chesham and another cross is met by a free-header and McGill touches it onto the top of the bar and out for another corner. Argent is able to head the ball clear.

Then on 56mins, and Chesham finally get the equaliser after all that pressure, as another corner goes to the far post and their defender out jumps our player and heads it home. It’s back to 2-2.

It’s now all hand to the deck, as Chesham attack again, every tackle is now followed by Chesham players screaming for a foul and the old referee wilts under the pressure each time.

We make our first substitution 61 mins, as Pearse is injured and is replaced by Dan Collier.

Less than a minute later and Chesham take the lead as they break, the ball is put over the top and a shot over/past the keeper is across the line, before Stow tries kick it off the line.

Then more controversy on 68mins, as Argent in a heavy but what seems a fair tackle gets surrounded by the Chesham player’s and they are screaming for a red card. The linesman 8yds away never even flags for a foul, but after being consulted with the referee he gives Argent a straight red card.

Pretty much game over from here and the serious time-wasting begins.

On 71mins another corner to Chesham is headed wide of the goal.

We seem unable to hold onto the ball and have not been anywhere near Chesham’s goal for some time now.

Yet more time professional time-wasting by the Chesham players, with a referee who does not seem interested how long the Chesham players take goal-kicks or yet more free kicks.

We make our final two substitution as Akers and Kennedy who is hobbling again are replaced by Matthews and Hollamby.

Collier has our next attack of note, but his shot is from 35yds and doesn’t really trouble the keeper.

On 81 mins and it should have been four for Chesham as they break but put the ball wide of the far post.

On 83mins we create another half-chance as Stow cross, hits the top of the bar, but the ref gives away to the shouts from behind the goal and gives Stoke the corner. The corner is met Bayliss who heads wide.

It now appears who shouts loud enough at the ref, gets the decision.

Even more time-wasting by the keeper, who wanders 20yds up the pitch, rather than getting the ball to take the goal-kick. The referee has his back turned and is wandering up the pitch and does not seem interested.

We have our final chance on 88 mins as a shot by Deadfield is dragged wide of the far post.

We are now in injury-time. Apparently it’s 5 minutes, but it could and should be at least 8 or 9 with the blatant time-wasting.

The final minutes are played out and the referee blows full-time.

Final Score: Basingstoke Town 2 v 3 Chesham Utd

Final thought's – In large parts of the game we were ineffective, especially after Sam Argents red card decision.

Although McGill looked sound in what he did, we still allow too many crosses into our danger area which we simply can’t defend.

The referee Roger Smith one of the more senior referees on the circuit, should re-think about some of his decisions today, as he had no control and was pressured by the who can shout loudest mentality in today’s game, and allowed blatant and I mean blatant time-wasting.

Chesham's Dave Pearce run the show for them today and honestly looked a class above everybody else.
We now sit in 20th place and in one of the three relegation places.

We urgently need defenders with height and pace, if we are to stave off relegation.

Up next Tuesday is the Qtr-Final of the Hampshire Senior Cup at Fareham Town.





Match Report by Martin French..