Post by btfc Supporters Club on Dec 3, 2023 4:19:06 GMT
Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 2nd December 2023
Basingstoke Town 1 v 2 Sholing Attendance 674
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Kai Hobbs, 3. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Alfie Grant, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Michael Atkinson (Capt), 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. D’Andre Brown, 11. Paul Hodges
On the bench: James Clark, Billy Upton, George Reid, Simon Dunn & Stefan Brown
Referee – Harrison Blair
The game kicks-off with a slight mist covering the ground with Basingstoke attacking the railway end in the first half, and the first action to note was in the eighth and ninth minute, as Sholing win a series of corners that we are able to defend, which ends with Paul Strudley up and claiming the fourth corner.
Stoke’s first attack of note, is in the twelfth minute as Bradley Wilson wins a corner down the left. The cross is initially headed by Alfie Grant but is knocked away, and Liam Ferdinand retrieves the ball sends the back across into the penalty area and it is headed away but straight to Wilson who volleys a shot that flies through the mass of players inside the goalmouth, only for to be blocked away in the air by a defender on the line, where Grant gets to it first but his diving header sees the ball fly over the bar.
Sholing have a little more pressure, but first Marcus Johnson-Schuster and then Scott Armsworth make good tackles to put an end to these attacks.
Stoke attack again down the left through Wilson, but the first of many key blocks happen as Sholing’s huge No.5, puts it out for a corner. The corner is cleared away, and Sholing attack over the hallway line, only for Michael Atkinson to win the ball back, and two passes later, the ball finds Liam Ferdinand, who takes the ball inside the penalty area, and he twists and turns past one defender then slides the ball past another defender, but he’s just a yard from the keeper and his shot is held by the keeper on the floor.
Sholing have a little more possession, but again Stoke are able to defend it as we move past the half-hour mark.
Then in the thirty-seventh minute, Kai Hobbs takes the ball deep into the Sholing half, and he finds Wilson on the left, who goes on a run, taking the ball past his defender into the penalty area, and although his shot is well hit, it flies a yard wide of the near left-hand post.
It’s Sholing turn to attack next as they take the ball down the right and cross, come shot, takes a slight deflection of the keeper and out for a corner. Stoke defend the corner.
Johnson-Schuster then as a shot from the just inside the penalty area, but the keeper allows it to roll past the far left-hand post and out for a goal-kick. From the goal-kick, the Sholing keeper and his defenders seem to have trouble once again in being able to pass it out from the back, but scramble the ball clear.
Stoke then have two shots in the space of a minute as, Paul Hodges looks to shoot from the edge of the penalty area, but gets tackled as he shoots and his shot flies wide. Then from the goal-kick, D’Andre Brown hits a shot from all of thirty-five yards which the keeper watches it fly a couple of yards over the bar.
From the goal-kick Sholing again play about with it at the back, but this time the keeper passes it out straight to Wilson five yards outside the box, and Wilson takes the ball inside the box, then with everyone expecting him to shoot, he slides the ball to Ferdinand who neatly clips the ball past the keeper, as the ball hits the inside of the right-hand post and rolls into the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Sholing (Ferdinand 44 mins)
The game gets back underway, and the referee indicates a minute of added-time, which is played out and the referee blows the halftime whistle, and we go into the break deservedly ahead.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 1 v 0 Sholing
The second-half gets underway, with the fog now noticeably a bit heavier and viewing from one goalmouth to the other is now difficult, and Stoke have the first chance, but the Sholing keeper saves from Wilson’s shot.
Then what there keeper can do, our keeper can do better, as from close to our corner flag on the left, the ball rebounds to Strudley who is on the byline but away from his goal, who has time to clear, hits it straight back to their forward, who hits a first-time shot from an acute angle into the open goal. Basingstoke 1-1 Sholing.
Then in the fifty-fifth minute a strong tackle on the Sholing No.3, sees our defender go in the book, but also the Sholing for his over-reaction. The Sholing free-kick finds Sholing’s No.15 wide open but his header is fortunately poor as is it flies wide.
It’s time for our first change as Billy Upton replaces Alfie Grant.
Stoke then attack again and the ball is well blocked again and the ball flies around from one side of the goalmouth to the other, but Sholing hold out.
However, from their clearance the ball finds their No.15 who ten yards space between to our centre-backs, and he takes two touches, as he gets close to our penalty area, slides the ball to their No.9 who has time and space, to take two touches then hits a pearler of shot into the right-hand corner of the net. Basingstoke 1-2 Sholing
Stoke then make a double substitution, with D’Andre Brown replaced by George Reid and Simon Dunn replacing Scott Armsworth.
Nathan Smart then goes in the book for a tackle, earning Sholing another free-kick around thirty yards out. The kick comes into the heart of our goalmouth, and one of their players is up and just punches the ball, and the referee blows for a free-kick, then shows their No.3 a second-yellow card and after a minute of protest he trudges off the pitch. The Sholing players are from happy believing it was not their defender who handled the ball and go to their dugout to complain, but after two further minutes, the game finally restarts.
Stoke have more possession in and around Sholing’s penalty area, but they break and send a long ball to Sholing’s No.15 who breaks away down the left then cuts inside and as he shoots, Upton gets a foot to it and the ball fortunately flies straight to Strudley who makes a save low down to the ground.
Stoke push forward again but another cross from Wilson is again blocked away for a corner. The kick flies around their penalty area, but we are unable to get a clear shot on goal, as Sholing block the ball away.
Then with ten minutes to go and with the fog deepening by the minute we attack down the right and the cross is met by Ferdinand, who sweeps the ball home, only for the linesman to have his flag up for offside.
Stoke continue to look for an equaliser as we enter the last five minutes of the game, and it’s Reid whose shot flies high over the bar.
Another Stoke cross from the left, is met by a Stoke head, but the keeper makes a comfortable save.
Hodges and Wilson put together a nice move which results in Wilson shooting but the keeper is there once again to make the save. A minute later another shot, this time by Hodges flies wide of the goal.
The referee has indicated an additional five minutes will be played, and Stoke win back-to-back corners, which Sholing are able to defend, and the time is running away, as Sholing are able to spend time deep in our half.
We play just over the five minutes and the referee blows the final whistle.
Final Score: Basingstoke Town 1 v 2 Sholing
Ferdinand 44 mins, Mason 53 & 66 mins
Match Thought’s
After a strong first-half performance, against a big Sholing side, it was a little disappointing to see us go on to lose the game. More missed chances are now starting to affect our league position, and it will be interesting to see how much Dan Brownlie may shake the starting line-up with a number of options for the next two games. Clearly missed Dan Rowe today.
Up Next:
Well we host an improving Hungerford Town side who sit in sixth place, this Tuesday evening, with us very much in need of a win.
Match Report by Martin French..
Basingstoke Town 1 v 2 Sholing Attendance 674
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Kai Hobbs, 3. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Alfie Grant, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Michael Atkinson (Capt), 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. D’Andre Brown, 11. Paul Hodges
On the bench: James Clark, Billy Upton, George Reid, Simon Dunn & Stefan Brown
Referee – Harrison Blair
The game kicks-off with a slight mist covering the ground with Basingstoke attacking the railway end in the first half, and the first action to note was in the eighth and ninth minute, as Sholing win a series of corners that we are able to defend, which ends with Paul Strudley up and claiming the fourth corner.
Stoke’s first attack of note, is in the twelfth minute as Bradley Wilson wins a corner down the left. The cross is initially headed by Alfie Grant but is knocked away, and Liam Ferdinand retrieves the ball sends the back across into the penalty area and it is headed away but straight to Wilson who volleys a shot that flies through the mass of players inside the goalmouth, only for to be blocked away in the air by a defender on the line, where Grant gets to it first but his diving header sees the ball fly over the bar.
Sholing have a little more pressure, but first Marcus Johnson-Schuster and then Scott Armsworth make good tackles to put an end to these attacks.
Stoke attack again down the left through Wilson, but the first of many key blocks happen as Sholing’s huge No.5, puts it out for a corner. The corner is cleared away, and Sholing attack over the hallway line, only for Michael Atkinson to win the ball back, and two passes later, the ball finds Liam Ferdinand, who takes the ball inside the penalty area, and he twists and turns past one defender then slides the ball past another defender, but he’s just a yard from the keeper and his shot is held by the keeper on the floor.
Sholing have a little more possession, but again Stoke are able to defend it as we move past the half-hour mark.
Then in the thirty-seventh minute, Kai Hobbs takes the ball deep into the Sholing half, and he finds Wilson on the left, who goes on a run, taking the ball past his defender into the penalty area, and although his shot is well hit, it flies a yard wide of the near left-hand post.
It’s Sholing turn to attack next as they take the ball down the right and cross, come shot, takes a slight deflection of the keeper and out for a corner. Stoke defend the corner.
Johnson-Schuster then as a shot from the just inside the penalty area, but the keeper allows it to roll past the far left-hand post and out for a goal-kick. From the goal-kick, the Sholing keeper and his defenders seem to have trouble once again in being able to pass it out from the back, but scramble the ball clear.
Stoke then have two shots in the space of a minute as, Paul Hodges looks to shoot from the edge of the penalty area, but gets tackled as he shoots and his shot flies wide. Then from the goal-kick, D’Andre Brown hits a shot from all of thirty-five yards which the keeper watches it fly a couple of yards over the bar.
From the goal-kick Sholing again play about with it at the back, but this time the keeper passes it out straight to Wilson five yards outside the box, and Wilson takes the ball inside the box, then with everyone expecting him to shoot, he slides the ball to Ferdinand who neatly clips the ball past the keeper, as the ball hits the inside of the right-hand post and rolls into the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Sholing (Ferdinand 44 mins)
The game gets back underway, and the referee indicates a minute of added-time, which is played out and the referee blows the halftime whistle, and we go into the break deservedly ahead.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 1 v 0 Sholing
The second-half gets underway, with the fog now noticeably a bit heavier and viewing from one goalmouth to the other is now difficult, and Stoke have the first chance, but the Sholing keeper saves from Wilson’s shot.
Then what there keeper can do, our keeper can do better, as from close to our corner flag on the left, the ball rebounds to Strudley who is on the byline but away from his goal, who has time to clear, hits it straight back to their forward, who hits a first-time shot from an acute angle into the open goal. Basingstoke 1-1 Sholing.
Then in the fifty-fifth minute a strong tackle on the Sholing No.3, sees our defender go in the book, but also the Sholing for his over-reaction. The Sholing free-kick finds Sholing’s No.15 wide open but his header is fortunately poor as is it flies wide.
It’s time for our first change as Billy Upton replaces Alfie Grant.
Stoke then attack again and the ball is well blocked again and the ball flies around from one side of the goalmouth to the other, but Sholing hold out.
However, from their clearance the ball finds their No.15 who ten yards space between to our centre-backs, and he takes two touches, as he gets close to our penalty area, slides the ball to their No.9 who has time and space, to take two touches then hits a pearler of shot into the right-hand corner of the net. Basingstoke 1-2 Sholing
Stoke then make a double substitution, with D’Andre Brown replaced by George Reid and Simon Dunn replacing Scott Armsworth.
Nathan Smart then goes in the book for a tackle, earning Sholing another free-kick around thirty yards out. The kick comes into the heart of our goalmouth, and one of their players is up and just punches the ball, and the referee blows for a free-kick, then shows their No.3 a second-yellow card and after a minute of protest he trudges off the pitch. The Sholing players are from happy believing it was not their defender who handled the ball and go to their dugout to complain, but after two further minutes, the game finally restarts.
Stoke have more possession in and around Sholing’s penalty area, but they break and send a long ball to Sholing’s No.15 who breaks away down the left then cuts inside and as he shoots, Upton gets a foot to it and the ball fortunately flies straight to Strudley who makes a save low down to the ground.
Stoke push forward again but another cross from Wilson is again blocked away for a corner. The kick flies around their penalty area, but we are unable to get a clear shot on goal, as Sholing block the ball away.
Then with ten minutes to go and with the fog deepening by the minute we attack down the right and the cross is met by Ferdinand, who sweeps the ball home, only for the linesman to have his flag up for offside.
Stoke continue to look for an equaliser as we enter the last five minutes of the game, and it’s Reid whose shot flies high over the bar.
Another Stoke cross from the left, is met by a Stoke head, but the keeper makes a comfortable save.
Hodges and Wilson put together a nice move which results in Wilson shooting but the keeper is there once again to make the save. A minute later another shot, this time by Hodges flies wide of the goal.
The referee has indicated an additional five minutes will be played, and Stoke win back-to-back corners, which Sholing are able to defend, and the time is running away, as Sholing are able to spend time deep in our half.
We play just over the five minutes and the referee blows the final whistle.
Final Score: Basingstoke Town 1 v 2 Sholing
Ferdinand 44 mins, Mason 53 & 66 mins
Match Thought’s
After a strong first-half performance, against a big Sholing side, it was a little disappointing to see us go on to lose the game. More missed chances are now starting to affect our league position, and it will be interesting to see how much Dan Brownlie may shake the starting line-up with a number of options for the next two games. Clearly missed Dan Rowe today.
Up Next:
Well we host an improving Hungerford Town side who sit in sixth place, this Tuesday evening, with us very much in need of a win.
Match Report by Martin French..
