Hampshire Snr Cup 3rd Rnd – Tuesday 19th November 2024
Basingstoke Town 0 vs 2 Portchester Town Attendance 202
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this Hampshire Cup game was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster (Capt), 3. Aleks Kokoszka, 4. Max Smith, 5. James Clark, 6. Jack Ball, 7. Brody Peart, 8. D’Andre Brown, 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. Sam Deadfield, 11. Jonny Efedje
On the bench: 12. Billy Upton, 14. Robbie Gallagher, Salhin Abubakar, 16. Luis Le Paih & 17. Charlie Barlow,
Referee – Scott Crowhurst
With the weather cold but settled the game got underway against the cup holders, who nearly took the lead inside thirty-seconds as a shot from outside the box, forced Simon Grant into a full length diving save, as he tipped the ball around the post.
There was little controlled football as we hit the tenth minute mark, as both teams struggled to put three passes together.
On twenty minutes, from a Stoke attack, Portchester broke, but a well-timed tackle from Aleks Kokoszka, not only won the ball but a free-kick as well.
Portchester then started to push forward and pressed down both flanks through timed passing, but we were able to keep them out.
However their continued pressure finally counted, as just before the half-hour mark, a cross from the right flew off the far post and as we failed to clear the ball, the ball fell to their striker Conor Duffin, who smashed a sweet strike from the edge of the penalty box into the roof of the net. Basingstoke 0-1 AFC Portchester
Stoke then had a little possession inside the visitors half, but a tame shot from Sam Deadfield, was comfortably held by their large keeper.
Portchester continued to push for a second and it was no surprise when it arrived with eight minutes to go to the break, as they found space inside our penalty area, and Duffin made no mistake getting his second goal of the game.
Portchester continued to press for a third, but Stoke created two decent crosses from the left, that Portchester’s defenders were able to deal with.
We played four minutes of added-time before the referee blew the halftime whistle and with Stoke having a lot to improve to get back into this cup game.
Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 2 Portchester Town
We started the second-half with more aggression, and a free-kick from Brody Peart saw their keeper unable to hold onto the ball but Portchester were first to the rebound and cleared.
Stoke created the next chance as a curling cross from Markus Johnson-Schuster, saw a defender get a foot to the ball just before Jonny Efedje at the far post.
Efedje continued to do some good work down the left, but that final touch or pass was missing that allowed Portchester to clear.
It was no surprise when we made two changes with D’Andre Brown replaced by Luis Le Paih, and Jonny Efedje replaced by Sal Abubakar (65 mins)
Portchester came close to adding a third, but a good diving save down low from Grant kept it at two.
Stoke continued to look to get back into the game, but some poor passing did not help our cause.
The much-awaited return from Robbie Gallagher arrived as he replaced Sam Deadfield (72 mins).
Stoke created the next chance, but Max Smith’s shot flew past the left-hand post.
The game was then held up as the referee went to our bench and Sam Deadfield appears to have been show a red card.
Despite our attacking efforts, Portchester seemed comfortable in defence.
We made our final two changes with Markus Johnson-Schuster being replaced by Charlie Barlow and Aleks Kokoszka replaced by Billy Upton (83 mins).
We were in the fifth of seven minutes of added-time, as a good move from Peart and Charlie Barlow, saw Barlow beat the keeper, but his shot was cleared off the line.
The referee blew the final whistle and our time in the Hampshire Snr Cup is over for another season.
Full-time Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 2 Portchester Town
Duffin 28 & 37 minutes
Match Thought’s
Like Chertsey, it needed a strong halftime team-talk to wake our team up, and for a time we looked like if we got one, we could get two, but Portchester deserved the victory who showed more fluent passing whist we lacked any cohesion for a lot of the game.
Our winless streak now sits at seven and with one or two players missing through injury and suspension, there’s a lot of change required.
Good to see Robbie Gallagher back and hopefully able to play a bigger part on Saturday.
Up Next:
We return to league action, as we host Tiverton Town this Saturday 23rd November (KO 3pm)
Match Report by Martin French..
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