Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 30th December 2023
Basingstoke Town 0 v 0 Salisbury Attendance 1,117
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Dan Brownlie’s final line-up of 2023 was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Marcus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4. Anthony Cheshire, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. Billy Upton, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Massimo Giamattei, 9. Dan Rowe, 10. D’Andre Brown, 11. George Reid
On the bench: Mal Nicholls, Nathan Smart, Stefan Brown, James Clark & Mark Scott
Referee – Daniel Lamport
The final game of 2023 got underway and it was a cagey start which is broken in the tenth minute as a cross into the heart of the Salisbury penalty area, has two defenders getting in the way of each other as Dan Rowe, tries to get a foot to it, only for the keeper to come and retrieve the ball.
Salisbury have the next attack, but calls for a penalty are rightly waived away and Stoke clear.
With fifteen minutes gone Stoke break again, this time through George Reid who finds Bradley Wilson on the edge of their penalty area, who cuts inside and his shot is blocked out for a corner. The corner met by Billy Upton flies wide.
A minute later Salisbury break and a Salisbury forward is brought down inside the box, and the referee awards the penalty. Ex-Stokie Sido Jombati seems to take a lot of time before he steps up and sends the ball low down to where Paul Strudley has correctly guessed to dive and makes the save, and the game remains goal-less.
Stoke then attack down the left and a cross is met by Upton who heads the ball on but there’s no Stoke player to tap it home, there’s two more crosses into the heart of the box, which Salisbury defend, and the game gets held up whilst their No.3 receives treatment. A few minutes later he receives further treatment and is finally replaced.
We’re now past the half-hour and although there has been some possession, and neither keeper has really been forced into a save in open play.
Then with five minutes to go, Salisbury break down the left and a shot from the left-hand edge of the box, rebounds of the far post, and back across the face of the goal and we are able to clear.
We have another attack which culminates in a three-way challenge in the air between Reid, a Salisbury defender and the keeper, and the ball bizarrely bounces of the keeper’s head and they are able to clear.
Now deep into added-time, Billy Upton makes a fine block to put it out for a corner, as Salisbury break into our penalty area.
Now in the sixth-minute of added-time and Stoke have the final attack of the half, as Reid turns his defender, by the byline and his shot hits the outside of the post and goes out for a goal-kick. A minute later the referee blows the halftime whistle.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 0 v 0 Salisbury
The second-half got underway, and Salisbury are first to attack as they break down the right, and a cross to the near post is initially held by Strudley, only for him to drop it over the byline for a corner. The corner is met by Upton who heads clear.
Salisbury push forward again and good work from Callum Winchcombe, puts an end to that attack, with a good interception.
Salisbury continue to push forward but man-mountain Upton, firstly blocks the ball out for a corner, which he then heads clear from the corner.
Further defensive blocks by Upton, and then Anthony Cheshire hold Salisbury at bay.
The rain which has been a slight drizzle upto now, breaks into a downpour with the strong wind sending it sideways.
It’s time for our first change as Dan Rowe, is replaced by Stefan Brown (66 mins).
Stoke’s first real attack of note arrives a few minutes later, as we break down the right, and Reid as he enters the penalty area, lets fly a shot that the keeper pushes away and they clear.
Salisbury push forward again but Cheshire makes a timely tackle and we break again and win a free-kick, which Wilson takes, beats the wall, but is comfortably held by the Salisbury keeper.
Salisbury have the next few minutes of play, but again Upton, then Scott Armsworth put good blocks in to stop their attacks.
Basingstoke’s defence is still frustrating the Salisbury forwards, and Strudley punches clear twice in the space of twenty seconds from Salisbury attacks.
Stoke win a corner down the right which Upton heads wide,
The Stoke midfield Massimo Giamattei & D’Andre Brown have been working their socks off today, as we make our second change with Massimo Giamattei replaced by James Clark (89 mins).
Further defensive work by Upton and then Reid enables us to break only for Reid to get dragged down and rightly the Salisbury player goes in the book.
Now in the third minute of added-time, the Stoke crowd behind the goal go silent, as a Salisbury forward clips a shot that slides inches wide of the far left-hand post.
We’ve time to make our third change with Bradley Wilson replaced by Mal Nicholls (94 mins).
The referee has now played over the five added-minutes, and the referee has seen enough and blows the fulltime whistle, with Stoke battling for a well-deserved point.
Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 v 0 Salisbury
Match Thought’s
Our first goal-less draw of the season, against a strong playoff contention side, proved that for the second-time in four days, that if you don’t make basic errors, and defend as a team when required, we can match anyone in this league.
An all-round strong performance by the whole team, but with a special mention to Billy Upton. Once again he proved what a rock he is in our team. He brings out the best in the rest of the team, and such a fan favourite.
As we enter 2024, we know we still have a long way to go, as teams below us can still push us further down the league, but the fight and the two points earned could be a deciding factor in the months to come.
Up Next:
Happy New Year to everyone, with our next game leaving England as we head into Wales to take on another promotion candidate in Merthyr Town next Saturday (6th).
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
Happy with the point.