Match Report: Basingstoke Town 1 – 3 Sholing – FA Cup 1st Qualifying Rnd – Saturday 31st August 2024

FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round – Saturday 31st August 2024
Basingstoke Town 1 v 3 Sholing Attendance 713
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie went with a starting line-up for this FA Cup match of: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Curtis Angell, 4. Rudy Allen, 5. Jack Ball, 6. William Upton (Capt), 7. Robbie Gallagher, 8. Max Smith, 9. Nnamdi Nwachuku, 10. Liam Ferdinand, 11. George Reid
On the bench: 12. Paul Hodges, 14. Alfie Bridgman 15. Jonny Efedje, 16. Aleks Kokoszka, 17. Ben Cook, 18. Flynn Bolton & 19. Dan Warre
Referee – Roger Ablitt

This crucial FA Cup match got underway with Basingstoke attacking the car-park end and there was little to note as both teams cancelled each other’s attacks in the opening minutes.

On ten minutes after good work by Robbie Gallagher, we win a corner on the right. The kick sets up Rudy Allen, whose shot is hit wide of the right-hand post.
Sholing create a little pressure winning a corner on the right, but the corner-kick is brought to an abrupt halt as the referee penalises the big Sholing No.5 for holding.

Midway through the first-half, Stoke win another corner on the left, which results in us dragging another shot wide of the far post.
Still very little to note as we hit the half-hour mark, but Curtis Angell appears to be struggling with a knock, but continues to play on.

We then won a free-kick on the left, the kick by Rudy Allen, is met by Billy Upton who heads back across the goal, where Jack Ball flicks it on and Liam Ferdinand knocks the ball home. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 v 0 Sholing (Ferdinand 32 mins).

Sholing look to get back in the game, and they come forward using the free space down the right, and a neat cross and finish by Sholing levels the score. Basingstoke 1-1 Sholing
The crowd is getting restless as one or two loose passes allows Sholing to push forward in the final minute of the first-half, but the attack sees a shot fly harmlessly wide.
Sholing attack again and force a good save out of Simon Grant, as he palms the ball away, and a Stoke defender is first to the rebound and is able to clear.

In the fourth minute of added-time Stoke attack, but Allen’s shot is dragged wide of the left-hand post. The referee a few seconds later blows for halftime and we go into the break on level terms.

Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 1 v 1 Sholing
Before the second-half gets underway, we make our first change of the day as George Reid is replaced by Dan Warre, who makes an immediate impact, as he breaks down the right and sends over a cross back past across the far post, to where a Stoke player heads the ball wide of the goal.

Stoke continue to push for a second goal, and win a corner after a good passing movement. The kick is initially cleared, but is returned to the far post, where Angell heads wide.

Sholing strike back, winning a corner after Upton makes a timely defensive header.
Sholing then attack again and with the ball bouncing around our penalty-area, we are unable to clear, and Sholing find the back of the net. Basingstoke 1-2 Sholing.

Then with a player from either side down injured, Sholing seem to find space in our penalty area again, and double their lead. Basingstoke 1-3 Sholing

Curtis Angell who was the Stoke player down injured, is then replaced by Aleks Kokoszka (61 mins).

The referee who has booked a couple of players in the first-half, then seems to have the yellow card stuck in his hand, as he hands out a couple more bookings.

Stoke push forward, but like Bracknell on Monday, Sholing’s defence is strong and prevents us from putting any pressure on their keeper.
We made our third & fourth changes with Max Smith replaced by Paul Hodges, and Jack Ball replaced by Ben Cook (75 mins).
The yellow card is out twice more including Manager Dan Brownlie.

Paul Hodges then hits a shot just wide of the right-hand post, after good work from Gallagher& Ferdinand.
Stoke continue to struggle to put any attack of note together, as we make our final change with Flynn Bolton replacing Robbie Bridgman (82 mins).

Sholing are strong in defence and show no signs of letting us back in the game, as we hit the first of a reported seven-added minutes.

We win a corner on the right after Allen’s shot is deflected wide, but the corner is comfortably dealt with once again.
The referee has seen enough and ends Basingstoke’s FA Cup dreams for another season.
Full-time Score: Basingstoke Town 1 v 3 Sholing
Ferdinand 32 mins Gunson 38 mins, Wort 57 mins, D. Mason 59mins

Match Thought’s
There was an expected apprehension amongst the Stoke crowd as our latest FA Cup expedition got underway, and once again fell way short with a performance that did not deserve to see us go through. Simply lacked any drive against a strong Sholing team that bullied and outmuscled us for most of the game.
We seem unable to break down teams who defend deep and this is a worry moving forwards.
Up Next:
We return to the league next Saturday 7th as we travel to league leaders AFC Totton.

Match Report by Martin French..