Southern League Premier South – Saturday 1st November 2025
Basingstoke Town 1 vs 4 Farnham Town Attendance 769
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this evening’s league game was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Elliott Legg, 3. Joe O’Loughlin, 4. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. James Clark, 7. D’Andre Brown, 8. Ben Cook (Capt), 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. George Reid, 11. James Dickson,
On the bench: 12. Dara Dada, 14. Cheick Lysalla, 15. Josh Green, 16. Connor Barratt & 17. Harry Bowden
Referee – Thomas Copping
With a vociferous Stoke crowd and with the November rain falling, Basingstoke with a number of enforced changes, took on a Farnham Town, who sat three places above us at the start of play.
It was a quiet opening few minutes, but Farnham started pressing, but Stoke behind a good challenge by James Clark in a centre-back role, dealt with the Farnham striker.
It was to be from a Stoke clearance ten minutes in, that George Reid was able to shrug off a tackle from ex-Stoke player Dan Bayliss, and cut along the byline, before finding Liam Ferdinand, who hit a right-foot that was partially blocked, but as it rolled towards the goal, it wrong-footed Farnham’s keeper Mark Eacott, whose flayed his arms at the ball as it crossed the line GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Farnham Town (Ferdinand 10 mins)
Two minutes later, Stoke came close to making it two, but Ferdinand’s shot was saved by Eacott.
Farnham had a little play in Basingstoke’s half, but was struggling to trouble Simon Grant in goal, and it was another break, via D’Andre Brown, who found Ferdinand, turn and slide the ball out to Ben Cook, who broke into the left-hand side of the penalty area and then slid an exquisite pass across the face of the goal, which despite his slide Ferdinand was inches away from getting a touch to, and the ball rolled out for a corner.
Farnham got back into the game, via a fortunate rebound off a Stoke player, that fell to a Farnham who hit an exquisite shot that found the bottom corner of the right-hand net. Basingstoke 1-1 Farnham
Stoke were battling, and had another shot comfortably saved by Eacott, but Farnham were pushing forward, and a neat one-two, saw the Farnham No.11 toe-poke a shot that Grant cleared with his legs.
Stoke continued to attack from Farnham’s attacks, but we were unable to find that final pass.
Stoke’s defence was holding firm, with good tackles and blocks by Clark & Scott Armsworth, then Markus Johnson-Schuster, as Farnham’s need passing moves were starting to show.
Ferdinand then neatly sent Elliott Legg down the right, but his cross was poor and straight at the keeper.
Five minutes to the break, and we were still more than holding our own, despite Farnham’s speedier midfield.
Farnham then forced a corner on the left, and this was met by a wide-open Farnham player who headed home, and we were behind. Basingstoke 1-2 Farnham.
The referee played just one minute of added-time, and despite a battling first forty-five, we go in the break trailing.
Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 1 vs 2 Farnham Town
Farnham came out on top, and started to have some play in our final third, and five minutes in they were to double their lead, as the ball bounced around our penalty, and the ball was then chipped to the far left-hand side, where a sly nudge by their No.11, on our defender, allowed him to slot the ball past Grant in goal. Basingstoke 1-3 Farnham
Stoke had some players warming-up on the side, but Farnham pushed forward five minutes later, and a combination of poor tackling and a mix-up at the back allowed Farnham to add their fourth. Basingstoke 1-4 Farnham
Stoke then made it’s first, well four changes as Ben Cook was replaced by Dara Dada, Connor Barratt for Elliott Legg, Cheick Lysalla for James Dickson, and Josh Green for D’Andre Brown (61 mins).
Farnham came close to adding a fifth, but the shot was blazed over the bar.
Stoke’s changes started to bring more pace to the game, but over-passing saw us lose the ball, as we came anywhere near Farnham’s penalty area.
Very little to note, as Farnham seemed happy with their lead, and we headed into the final fifteen minutes.
Farnham did come close to adding a fifth, after good work, but the cross fortunately flew past everyone.
With six minutes to go, Stoke came close to getting their second, but Reid’s shot from close range smashed against the cross-bar and flew away.
Grant made one more good save in the four-minutes of added-time.
Josh Green then nearly took out one of the kids behind the goal, as his shot flew wide.
The referee blew the final whistle as Stoke go down to defeat.
Full-Time Score: Basingstoke Town 1 vs 4 Farnham Town
Ferdinand 10 mins, Liddle 20 & 55 mins, J Dean 44 mins, Obi 50 mins,
Match Thought’s
Stoke were equal to Farnham across the park, until that killer punch just before the break. Then defensive failings allowed Farnham to add two quick goals, early in the second-half, and the game was pretty much dead as a contest.
Can’t remember seeing four changes in one go in Stoke league game before. Didn’t seem to make much difference to the game, yes more energy, but little effort on goal.
We slip two places to fifteenth in the table.
Up Next:
We host Berkhamsted in our Remembrance Day game next Saturday (8th).
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
First-half we battled and scraped to keep them out, after a good start. But come on the second-half they took the pedal off and played like all the visiting teams form last season, who know we are create very little in goal. Has Dada actually done anything yet? Waiting for something special, but like Austin, it could never come.