Match Report: Basingstoke Town 1 v 1 Beaconsfield Town – Saturday 9th December 2023

Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 9th December 2023
Basingstoke Town 1 v 1 Beaconsfield Town Attendance 473
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Kai Hobbs, 3. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 4. Michael Atkinson (Capt), 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Billy Upton, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Paul Hodges, 9. Stefan Brown, 10. D’Andre Brown, 11. George Reid
On the bench: James Clark, Callum Winchcombe, Jake Impiazzi, Noah Chengun & Shane Hollamby
Referee – Adam Merchant

With a strong wind swirling around the ground, the game got underway with Basingstoke attacking the carpark end in the first half, and there was very little to note in the first few minutes, as both sets of players tried to cope with the wind.

Then in the eight minute a through ball finds one of the visitors forwards clean through and despite calls for an offside, the Beaconsfield player takes the ball to our by-line then sends the ball across to the far post where a wide open forward nods the ball back across the goal, past Paul Strudley and into the net and we go a goal behind. Basingstoke 0-1 Beaconsfield

Basingstoke’s first attack of note, was in the twelfth minute, after we win a free-kick about thirty five yards out from the Beaconsfield goal. The kick is sent into the penalty area, but is headed clear.
We win a corner in the twentieth minute down the left, but again Beaconsfield are able to block the ball away.

Beaconsfield then have the ball in the net in the twenty-sixth minute, as from another break a Beaconsfield forward hits a shot that beats Strudley, but rebounds off the left-hand post to another forward and although slots the ball home, he is clearly offside and the referee awards us the free-kick.

Stoke have a little possession around Beaconsfield’s penalty area, but the wind continues to affect our game, and the visitors are able to break, and attack down our right, and Strudley makes a fine save from a shot just inside the box.

Beaconsfield attack again and a cross is blocked out by Billy Upton for a corner. It’s Upton who initially heads clear, only for the ball to come back into the six-yard box, where Upton gets his head to it once again and heads clear.

We now head into the last couple of minutes of the half, and we win a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Unfortunately, Bradley Wilson’s kick flies comfortably over the bar.
We then attack again a minute later and win a corner on the right. The cross to the far post is met by Upton whose header loops up and onto the top of the bar and out for a goal-kick.

We are now in added-time and we play the additional four minutes and the referee blows the halftime whistle, with us needing the break, hoping that the wind will favour us in the second-half.

Halftime – Basingstoke Town 0 v 1 Beaconsfield Town
With us attacking the railway end, the second-half gets underway, and Stoke attack down the left and Wilson, puts in a neat cross where George Reid is to it first, but his flick flies inches over the bar and out for a goal-kick.
From the goal-kick, we win the ball and attack again and a cross is deflected out for a corner on the right-hand side.
Wilson’s kick is met by a diving header from Upton, who finds the bottom corner of the net and Stoke are back in it. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Beaconsfield Town (Upton 47 mins)

We are straight back on the attack from the restart and the ball is fed to Reid, who weaves past his player and his shot is deflected out for another corner.

Stoke attack again a few minutes later and Reid, wins a corner down the right. Nothing comes from the corner. This is Reid’s last action, as he is replaced by James Clark (55 mins).

Beaconsfield have the next bit of action in and around our penalty area, but good blocks by Johnson-Schuster and then Atkinson, put a stop to them.

Stoke are soon back in the attack and the ball is fed to Wilson, who just on the edge of the penalty area, beats his marker, then curls a right-foot shot that the keeper dives to his left and pushes it out for a corner on the right.
We win another corner after further good work from Wilson, whose cross is deflected over the bar. The kick is unfortunately too long and Beaconsfield clear.

We are now at the midway point in the second-half and there’s a tackle between Hodges and a Beaconsfield player. The referee blows for a free-kick, then seconds later shows the Beaconsfield No.20 Joshua Payne a straight red-card. Not sure what it is was for, but he takes a minute to trudge off the pitch and down the tunnel.

D’Andre Brown then finds Wilson on the right who takes it ten yards down the touchline then cuts hits a cross that initially looks to be flying over the bar, only for the wind to take the ball over the keeper’s head and smash against the far left-hand post and out, and Beaconsfield hack the ball clear.

Disaster strikes, as we push forward again, and Atkinson get slightly clipped and then pulls up chasing the ball inside the penalty area. It looks like his hamstring has gone, and he is replaced by Noah Chengun (77 mins).

D’Andre Brown then attacks down the right wing, and sends over a low cross that is sliced over the bar and out for a corner. The corner flies past the far post and out Beaconsfield are able to clear.

It’s Wilson’s turn to attack down the right and his cross splits the keeper and the Stoke attackers and the ball flies out for a goal-kick.

Beaconsfield are from done as they break and a shot is saved by Strudley and the ball rebounds off Upton straight back to Strudley.
Beaconsfield then two minutes later, break from a long ball, and a Beaconsfield player is through and he smashes a shot that Strudley comes to our rescue, as he makes another diving save, only for it to rebound back to another forward who hits a shot that Strudley smothers once again.

The referee has indicated that there will be a minimum of six added-minutes, as Stoke push for the winner, and a ball over the far post is clipped back across the face of the goal by Stefan Brown, only for it to bounce inches wide of the far right-hand post.

We continue to push forward, but ten-man Beaconsfield are holding firm, as we move into the final minute of added-time, and Kai Hobbs wins a corner on the left, this is headed clear, but we attack again down the right and D’Andre sends a lovely cross that Upton heads the ball down and it bounces off the keeper’s boot, up onto the crossbar and is hacked clear, and the referee blows the final whistle seconds later.
Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 1 v 1 Beaconsfield Town
Upton 47 mins                                            Bradshaw 8 mins

Match Thought’s
Did the wind kill the game, as it was a game of two halves. Billy Upton was superb today at both ends of the pitch, and gives us something from the numerous corners we won today. Absolute sickener to see Michael Atkinson hobble off with what looks like a long-term hamstring injury.
Although we continue to create many chances, the end result is another two points dropped at home.

Up Next:
Well with us sitting in thirteenth place, we head back out on the road for our last away trip before christmas, as we head into London to take on lowly Harrow Borough next Saturday (16th).

Match Report by Martin French..