A decent day a decent crowd but a below par performance from Basingstoke Town. The goal scored had a bit of quality with a good run and cross from Chris Flood converted by Liam Enver Marnum. However that was the only real bit of quality in the entire match. Harrow put up stubborn resistance and got a good slice of luck when Stuart Moore's save hit a back tracking 'stoke defender and finished up in the net.
Basaingstoke seem to lack a bit of guile and creativity in midfield and have yet to find the right combination of players in this area. For most of the match the long ball prevailed from both sides.
So on to Tuesday for the replay. It is difficult to imagine 'stoke being so out of sorts again.
Well I took myself off to The Camrose for the first time in a while after watching my team win the early Sky game. The pitch was looking nice and lush although the grass seemed to be a little on the long side and with a decent crowd in, later to be confirmed as over 700 we were set for the Conference South table toppers to try and put Harrow from a division lower to the sword.
What a disappointment that turned out to be.
Despite Town taking an early lead with a very well worked goal they failed miserably throughout the rest of the match to trouble the Harrow keeper. I felt in the first half that every time they tried to keep the ball on the floor they looked likely to get somewhere but wrong final choice of passes seemed to be the order of the day and put paid to any further clear cut chances being created.
Harrow themselves offered very little all afternoon to be honest and were fortunate with their equalizer. Basingstoke gave a free kick away midway into their half and a complete lapse of concentration led to a Harrow player in the box having a free glancing header that keeper Moore did well to keep out but it hit another Basingstoke defender and went back into the Basingstoke goal.
This goal did nothing to spur on either side to go for a winner and the game became very scrappy between each teams penalty boxes. A sending off of a Harrow defender in the last minute came too late to have any bearing on the game and it petered out to a tame 1 – 1 draw.
For the replay I would have thought that Basingstoke should have enough in their locker to make it through but you never know in this game.
I thought the Basingstoke back four looked good apart for the glaring mistake for the equaliser, the only time Moore had anything to do. They do try and play from the back when they can but they often had no choice but to punt a long ball due to the lack of movement particularly from the 2 forwards who I thought need to work a lot harder with their movement off the ball. Flood in fact in my opinion was lucky to stay on the pitch and not substituted, thought he offered very little as a front man as the game went on, second half and I looked at him a lot and he was very static. The midfield had a better first half than second. I like Dunn as he is a very busy player and I thought was a tad unlucky to get replaced. Brown played well in the middle and looks to be one of them players who you would put down on the team sheet first. Harper should prove to be a good signing in the coming weeks/months. I would like to have seen more movement from the forward players during the game and crisper quicker passing when players were in good positions.
RIP CAMROSE - SADLY AND UNCEREMONIOUSLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE OF BASINGSTOKE . NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
Prejudice is a great TIME SAVER. You can form opinions without having to get to the FACTS.
Too much negativity from a lot of people today, our promising start to the season has lofted expectations beyond the norm. We're top of the league, we're in the draw for the First Round of the FA Cup. Yes we were poor second half today, but let's get behind the boys and see us through on Tuesday.
Matt is that a reference to 2 reports on how 2 people saw the game pan out?
Danner was the negativity in and around the ground or you talking about the reports here? Can't say I came across any negativity walking through the ground.
RIP CAMROSE - SADLY AND UNCEREMONIOUSLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE OF BASINGSTOKE . NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
Prejudice is a great TIME SAVER. You can form opinions without having to get to the FACTS.
Cannot see what was negative about the reports; it was the view of everyone around me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and all BTFC folk wanted and still wants the club to reach the next round.
However to make you happy I will give the positive view ' Basingstoke Town (top of the Conference South) did really well to hold Harrow Borough (lower part of the Ryman League) to a draw at home !!.
As a matter of interest were you both at the match ?.
Not a reference to what was written on here at all, I was writting about my time at the game yesterday, as you both were. As you say, we all have our own opinions.
Behind the goal there was some negativity from a minority of fans, everyone needs to put things into perspective as I stated above. As another fan said at full time, we would have taken the current position we find ourselves in after an hour of the last round at Ebbsfleet. I'm confident the lads will give their all on Tuesday to put things right.
The thread title is about the match yesterday. Most people were disappointed with the match and of course the result. 'Stoke had a bad day at the office; they are not going to be in top form at every match this season.
However they are still in the cup and with £12.5 for the winners plus a possible good draw in the 1st round then a good performance at Harrow is required. It will not be easy but the feeling I have is Basingstoke will surely play better.
On the season as a whole obviously so far it is the best for a very long time and long may it continue. Jason, Michael and the squad deserve a lot of credit.
Sorry I'd had a couple of beers when I wrote what I did last night.
There's a trait on here for more comment when we don't win than when we do, it's not just here, it's a British sports fans trait. I read the scarily idiotic views of my fellow Portsmouth supporters who think the club is now rich and should be walking League Two and it irritates me. It's the same when England lose at any sport, we're the worst thing in the world and don't get me started on Andy Murray in the Tennis.
I was at the game yesterday and yeah we were below par but I remain confident we will get through on Tuesday.
Yesterday was disappointing but let's not get too irate as we didn't lose and we are still in the competition.
People shouldn't expect us to be giving teams whether they play at a higher or lower level a hammering every week...we are a good team, a very good team and we deserve to be top on some of our showings on the pitch this season aswell as the spirit, grit, heart and determination the lads show and give.
Thing is it's likely we will play badly again a few times this season and its likely we will give another team a good hiding..thats football. Just please don't get on the players backs. Take that performance with a pinch of salt and move on. We will win Tuesday.
Problem is the players have set a very high standard this season and when we have an off day some decide to have a go rather than get behind the team.
We are top of the league and are in the hat for the 1st round proper, peoples expectations yesterday and I can include myself in this was we would win fairly comfortably, remember the is the FA Cup tho ppl anything can happen, we just need to get as many people there to SUPPORT the team on Tuesday night.
I think the match reports on here are a fair reflection of the game yesterday.
I can only speak for myself when I say I would have bitten anybody's hand off if I was offered top of the league and a 4th Qual Rd Replay in the Fa Cup come the end of October!
The goal in the 1st 15 mins was quality and I was thinking we would have been out of sight by half time. 2nd half was a bit flat so hopefully the players can put it right on Tuesday night
Have been out most of the day so only now just reading replies to previous posts. KS, like you I almost posted saying that perhaps me and you should have lied about the performance and said it was fantastic and how lucky Harrow were but that would not have been telling the truth now would it!
It is pleasing to see that most of the people that have responded on here believe that our reports are in fact accurate.
As many know I do not manage to get to many games and when I do I try to report on what I see. Had the Town WON yesterday and played well my report would have reflected that.
I know for a fact that KS attends more matches than me and gives a true reflection on what he has witnessed, again if Town win he will report that. I remember he went through a stage of every time he went to a game they either drew or lost.... what was he meant to do? make up a report to please certain people. I also know for fact that he has indeed reported on 'stoke wins' on this very forum!
RIP CAMROSE - SADLY AND UNCEREMONIOUSLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE OF BASINGSTOKE . NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
Prejudice is a great TIME SAVER. You can form opinions without having to get to the FACTS.
Nobody has disagreed Steve, everyone agrees that we were nowhere near our best yesterday and are simply addressing the fact that some people at the game were getting on the players backs. There were a couple of people booing behind the goal at full time and it is there that the issue lays, not with KS and your own reports, which are a fair summary of the game. Unless you were booing at the match, there is no issue.
I'm sorry for my comment last night, I percieved a rush to criticise and was probably wrong, it wasn't just on here, as I walked out the ground someone said 'got what we deserved, we've been s**t for weeks'. I've had a difficult week and it annoyed me.
We weren't at our best and KS and Steve's reports are fair reflections on the game in isolation. Jason made the point in the week about being a bit surprised by the reaction to the Wealdstone result and Chewy is correct in saying that because of the standards we have set it feels more disappointing but onwards and upwards, let's win on Tuesday and thank our lucky stars we aren't Bath
Really people booing? blimy cant agree with that either. I did as did KS feel that it may have been directed towards us.
People do need to take a step back and look at the situation. The club have had a very good start to the season but that's just it 'a good decent start'. There is a very long way to go yet and as we all know excellent performances will not be the order of the day week in week out.
Can the club sustain their current position, hmmmm difficult one to answer really. Personally I would love to see them be there or there abouts at the end of the season but only time will tell. Have they got a big enough and good enough squad, I'm not sure they have compared to a few others in the league. What I do know from talking to others is that team spirit appears to be excellent and you cannot buy that, a very important ingredient for any team.
RIP CAMROSE - SADLY AND UNCEREMONIOUSLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE OF BASINGSTOKE . NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
Prejudice is a great TIME SAVER. You can form opinions without having to get to the FACTS.
From my point of view I only post as to what I see. I did a larger report before John started the 'live' feeds on the game. John's reports are very good and in my opinion fair.
Nowadays I give a short report if I am at a match and John / Gazette are unable to attend. I occasionally give odd comments as I see them. With the team I find that they seem to play excellent in patches in most matches but never for the whole match. If they could sustain the level of performance throughout the whole 90 minutes then they will take some stopping.
The support this season is good and it is nice to see so many youngsters coming along.
Good luck to the team on Tuesday. I am working in Dorset so will be unable to make the match.
There were a couple of people booing behind the goal at full time and it is there that the issue lays
The people booing were probably the few idiots I heard before the game saying it would be an easy 3 or 4 nil win. There's no such thing as an easy game in the FA Cup and league form counts for nothing. Having seen us lose to Bracknell and Newbury, and scrape past Bristol Manor Farm and Backwell after replays, you learn to never write off lower league opposition.
Everyone's disappointed with yesterday's result as the level of performance wasn't quite up to the standards that have been set, but we've got a second chance and I'm sure the players will be determined to make amends.
A large, vocal support is required and I'd urge as many people as possible to make an effort to get to Harrow on Tuesday. Also, there's no cover behind either goal so I suggest we stand at the side like we did at Ebbsfleet.
