Match Report: Basingstoke 0-0 Portsmouth 5-4 on Penalties 14th September 2021

Hampshire Snr Cup 2nd Round – 14th September 2021
Basingstoke Town 0 v 0 Portsmouth Fc Attendance 914
Portsmouth win 5-4 on penalties
Where: Winklebury Complex, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Stoke lose 5-4 on penalties, on a night they impress the large home crowd

Possibly with an eye on this Saturday’s FA Cup match in mind tonight’s line-up was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Daniel Williamson, 3. James Haworth, 4. D’Andre Brown, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. Daryl Wollers, 7. Lloyd Snell, 8. Aiden Lewis 9. Bradley Wilson, 10. McKoy Palmer, 11 Ben Cook (Capt)
On the bench: Conor Lynch, Adam Everiss, George Reid, Kial Mumford & Joel Halliday
Referee – Sam Ogles

With the turnstiles still clicking non-stop, it was Stoke who attacked the car-park end in the first-half and the first few minutes saw both teams sizing each other up.
On 8 minutes it is Stoke who create the first real attack, as we win a free kick and Ben Cook’s free-kick into the heart of the penalty area is hooked clear.

Both teams still trying to open up the play, but the defence on both sides is coping to stop any real threat,
Then on 17 mins we concede a free-kick around 25yds out but straight in front of goal. The Pompey free-kick taker however blasts it straight at the wall and the ball deflects clear.
On 22 mins we concede another free-kick down the right wing, but the kick flies towards Stoke keeper Paul Strudley, who has time to calmly catch the ball, and put the end to any threat. A minute later the commitment tonight is so evident as D’Andre Brown wins one tackle and as the ball rolls free, wins another tackle against another Pompey player.

On 25 mins Pompey win another free-kick, but again Strudley is more than a match as he plucks the cross out of the air.
On 28 mins we attack down the right as a neat move between McKoy Palmer and Bradley Wilson ends with a low cross that the Pompey centre-back kicks clear.
On 30 mins it is Scott Armsworth who clears a dangerous cross from the left wing over the bar for a corner. The corner-kick is again dealt with by Strudley in goal.

On 33 mins we again break down the right this time through Williamson who finds Wilson who then stops and after a neat one-two passing movement with Williamson, allows Wilson time to cross where Snell is first to the ball but his header flies five yards wide of the goal.
More commitment in midfield this time by Aiden Lewis, who seems to be relishing his role in midfield.
On 37 minutes it is Strudley again, who cuts out the danger as he dives on the low cross from the left wing.

On 40 mins two crosses form the right in the space of a minute, the first dealt with by Armsworth as he heads clear, the second is meat & drink for a confident Strudley in goal.
On 43 mins we move forward and a resulting shot from one of our forwards is deflected out for a corner. The referee holds the kick from being taken as there is bit of pushing and shoving in the Pompey 6-yard box. The corner when it is taken flies to the far post where it is knocked back in and they hook it clear, only for it to pushed out to Wilson whose cross flies dangerously across the face of the goalmouth and rolls out for a goal-kick.
The referee blows for half-time and Stoke are holding the League one side comfortably.

Halftime Basingstoke Town 0 – 0 Portsmouth FC
We are back underway and Stoke continue to show the commitment that appeared to be lacking Saturday, as Brown and then Lewis win back-to-back 50/50 challenges.

On 48 & 49 mins it is Stoke who create two dangerous attacks from the left and both are hooked clear by the Pompey defence.
We then create the best chance of the game, as a cross from the left finds Snell at the back post 8 yards out but his shot is blocked by the defender and keeper and they took the ball clear.
Again it’s more Stoke pressure as another cross this time from the right is hoofed clear and they break, but it’s Daryl Wollers who puts an end to that attack with a timely interception.

Pompey win another free-kick this time around 30 yds out, but again the shot flies straight into the wall, and we clear.
We make our first change of the night as Conor Lynch replaces Lloyd Snell.
Still nothing in this match as both teams battle to find the breakthrough.

On 62 mins the Btg chant an old favourite ‘Shoes off if you love the Stoke’ and a number of fans including some JPL players are more than happy to oblige.

On 66 mins we have our next attack, and the ball finds Bradley Wilson, whose well-hit shot is always flying away from the near post.
On 69 mins we scramble the ball clear as a Pompey attack down the middle of the pitch ends with a Strudley half-save, and we seem to be able to hoof it clear at the second-attempt.
On 71 mins we make our second change with Bradley Wilson being replaced by George Reid.

We need to make our third change on 73 mins as James Haworth following receiving treatment on the pitch, is replaced by Adam Everiss.
Stoke are still fully committed to this battle and tackles by Brown & Williamson stop Pompey from any threat.

A cross on 82 mins by Pompey, and no surprise it is plucked out of the air by Strudley once more.
On 84 mins Pompey break again and the cross finds a Pompey striker whose shot not only flies over the fence behind the goal, but over the trees and into the car-park.

On 87 mins it is Stoke who come closest to breaking the deadlock, as Palmer cross from the left is initially cleared out but straight to Reid who takes it down the right and his cross is deflected out to Brown, who feigns to shoot takes a touch and then lets a left foot shot, that not only has the keeper beaten, but also narrowly beats the far post by a foot.
We are now in injury-time and another attack by Pompey is comfortably stopped as Strudley dives on the through ball.
The four minutes of injury-time are up and we head to penalties.

Unfortunately for the Stoke fans we have lost the toss and the kicks will be taken at the Pompey and a number of Stoke fans scramble around the other end.

The Penalties
Pompey score first, Ben Cook is up first but his shot is poor and saved by the keeper (1-0 Pompey).
Pompey score their second as they send Strudley the wrong way. Scott Armsworth takes and converts sending their keeper the wrong way. (2-1 Pompey)
Pompey’s third penalty is briallantly saved by Strudley down to his right. George Reid sends the keeper the wrong way and we sit (2-2)
Pompey’s next penalty is put away. Adam Everiss is up next for Stoke and has no problem sending the keeper the wrong way (3-3).
Now in sudden death Pompey convert their penalty. Conor Lynch matches that easily hitting the net (4-4).
Pompey’s keeper is up next and looks confident, but Strudley saves it down low. It is now upto Daryl Wollers to win it, but his short-run ends with a shot that flies high over the bar. Still (4-4).
Pompey convert their sixth penalty and it is up to Aiden Lewis to keep us in the tie, but his shot is saved and Pompey are through (5-4).

Final Score: Basingstoke Town 0 – 0 Portsmouth FC
Portsmouth win 5-4 on penalties

Match Thought’s
A truly monumental effort by a Stoke side who against much better opposition, fought for the whole game and probably had the best chance of the match. Dan Brownlie’s team should be fully proud of their performance tonight.

Up Next:
We host Wimborne Town in an important FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie here this coming Saturday 3pm kick-off.

Match Report by Martin French..

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1 COMMENT

  1. Really good report on a day we deserved to edge it, but again failed to take our chances, especially the Lloyd Snell chance in the second half.
    Atmosphere was like the old days and hope for more of these.

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