Isthmian South Central Division – Monday 29th August 2022
Basingstoke Town 0 v 2 Bedfont Sports Attendance 560
Where: Winklebury Sports Complex, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Stoke lose to Binfield, with very little help from a poor referee.
With an unchanged change from Saturday, our line-up was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Dan Williamson, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4. Michael Atkinson, 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Billy Upton, 7. Marcio Neves, 8. Simon Dunn (Capt) 9. Bradley Wilson, 10. Sam Argent, 11. George Reid
On the bench: Ezio Touray, Luis Le Paih, James Clark, Scott Armsworth & Aiden Lewis
Referee – Paul Barber
This Bank Holiday Monday fixture got underway with Stoke attacking the car park, and in the second minute the ball was pushed through to the Binfield No.7 whose cross flew across the face of the Stoke goal.
A shot from their No.9 was palmed away by Strudley in goal, and the ball rebounded off a Stoke defender and out for a corner. Stoke defend the corner.
Strudley makes another save from their No.7 on eight minutes.
We then have an attack on 11 minutes, as the ball is fed to Marcio, who finds Sam Argent, but he decides not to take a left-foot shot and slides the ball to Marcio, but Binfield break up the attack.
Another Stoke attack on 12 minutes results in Argent’s overhead kick flying wide of the far post.
Binfield have another attack on 14 mins, which results in the shot hitting Strudley’s legs and we are able to clear.
On 21 mins, we have our next attack as Michael Atkinson finds Marcio who sends over a cross, where Reid’s touch, is unfortunately straight at the keeper who makes the save.
Good defensive work by Callum who knocks the ball out for a corner. From the corner ex-Stoke defender Joe Gater gets his head to it, and the ball skims off the crossbar and out for a goal-kick.
The Binfield No.7 rightly goes in the boom for kicking the ball away.
On the half-hour we win a free-kick 28 yds out, The kick by Wilson forces a good save out of the keeper.
A shot from Billy Upton 35yds out is dragged wide of the left-hand post.
Binfield’s next attack on 37 mins, a dangerous cross, results in a good headed clearance by Nathan Smart, out for a corner. Argent heads the ball clear from Binfields corner.
Dan Williamson then goes in the book.
Michael Atkinson then goes in the book two minutes later.
A nasty elbow on Billy Upton goes unnoticed and unpunished by the referee.
A cross from Williamson just lies past the outstretched foot of Argent and goes out for a goal-kick.
We play three minutes of injury-time, before the referee blows the halftime whistle.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 0 v 0 Binfield
With no changes at halftime, the game restarts and nothing of note in the first few minutes, until a ball is put through to Wilson who collides with the keeper. And goes down. Is it a penalty, the referee says no, then books Wilson for diving.
Binfield have the next attack as they win a corner, but Strudley is up and catches the corner-kick.
Another poor referee decision goes unpunished.
Then on 56 mins, a cross from the left, is headed past Strudley into the far right-hand corner of the net. Stoke 0-1 Binfield
On the hour another poor tackle on Reid goes unpunished as he give a goal-kick instead.
We make our first changes with Ezio Touray replacing George Reid, and then James Clark replacing Michael Atkinson.
On 64 mins from a challenge and free-kick to Stoke in our penalty area, Nathan Smart appears to go in the book.
We make our third change with Sam Argent replaced by Luis Le Paih.
Bothe teams have attacks in the next few minutes but the defences make timely interceptions.
On 71 mins a cross from Williamson is met by Wilson, whose shot from six yards is straight at the keeper.
A minute later, another poor decision by the referee as Touray chases a ball in the penalty area, gets shoved in the back and the referee awards nothing and then books Touray, assuming for diving.
Stoke have some more possession but can’t create a shot on goal.
With seven minutes to go, the ball falls to Luis, whose shot although well-hit flies just over the crossbar.
A couple of minutes later a shot from Simon Dunn is pushed over the bar by the keeper. The corner is met by Upton who heads the ball over the bar.
Then a minute into injury-time a foul on Winchcombe is ignored and they break and a cross is met by another that beats Strudley and finds the net. Stoke 0-2 Binfield
The referee plays two more minutes of injury-time and then blows the final whistle.
Full-time Score: Basingstoke Town 0 v 2 Binfield
Holland 57 mins Moore 90mins
Match Thought’s
Some shocking referee decisions did not help our cause, but Binfield had the better chances and two headed finishes were enough for them to win all three points.
Up Next:
Following today’s game we potentially have our next three games at Winklebury starting this Saturday, as we host Weston Super Mare in the FA Cup 1st qualifying round.
English 
Polish 