Evo-Stick Premier League Division South – Saturday 6th October 2018
Basingstoke Town 1 – 2 Dorchester Town Attendance 331
As we headed into the month of October, we returned to last season’s Saturday home game weather, where it’s dry all-week, only for the weather to turn to rain, bit like our recent performances.
Jason Bristow had a number of pre-game fitness tests to check, with Hollamby & Kennedy starting on the bench before confirming the following line-up as; in goal McAdden, at the back a starting four of Stow, Philby, Bayliss & Bennett. The midfield containing Deadfield, McKnight, Collier & Akers. Up top was Smart & Argent.
On the bench; Orvis, Bunting, Kennedy & Wright.
With the Supporters Club Beer table put on temporary hold, the game got underway with the Stoke kicking towards the Clubhouse End under persistent rain.
The first few minutes of the game Stoke are on the front foot, but create very little of note towards the goal until 6 minutes when a Deadfield cross is met by an Argent that doesn’t trouble the keeper.
As we hit the 20th minute, we are still the team with the initiative, but we fail to create any real attempts on goal.
On 22 mins, Akers attacks down the left wing, cuts inside and slips a pass to Deadfield, he lines upto shoot, but with two defenders in front of him, slips the ball wide to Smart, who takes the ball five yards before crossing the ball, but the new Dorchester keeper is able to gather comfortably.
On 24 mins Dorchester have their first attack of note, but the cross, come shot is blocked out for a corner. The corner is headed clear by Philby.
A further five minutes flies by before we create anything more on goal, as a left-footed cross by Akers is well cleared by a Dorchester defender.
The rain continues to fall and is ruining either team’s real control of the game, but it is noted that Dorchester now have 3 players booked, but it isn’t a dirty game.
On 36 mins McKnight attacks down the right, slips the pass to Smart whose cross is blocked out for a corner. The Bennett corner is initially cleared, but the ball comes to Smart who delivers the ball into the 6yd line where a challenge by Argent and the keeper, ends up with the ball looping over the bar and the referee gives a goal-kick.
As the game goes into injury-time of a pretty drab affair, McKnight has a shot that is tipped over the bar by the keeper. Nothing comes from the corner and the referee blows the half-time whistle.
Halftime: Basingstoke Town 0 – 0 Dorchester Town
The rain has eased somewhat as the game get underway for the 2nd half with Hollamby replacing an injured Harry Philby.
Stoke are still the team with the major part of possession, but again Dorchester are proving difficult to break down and crosses by Smart and Akers on 53 & 54 mins are easily defended.
Then on 56 mins Dorchester break, the ball rebounds off one of our defenders and runs to a Magpies forward whose shot slides narrowly past the far post with McAdden beaten.
Basingstoke make their 2nd substitution with a hobbling Akers replaced by Ben Wright.
Then on 66 mins we make the breakthrough as Deadfield and Smart are trying to create an opening, then Smart slides the ball through to a free McKnight, who chips the ball over the on-coming keeper and into the net GOAL Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Dorchester Town.
Whilst the Btg are still celebrating and possibly the turning point of the match, the Magpies have gone straight down our end and equalised. Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Dorchester Town.
It is from this point onwards that the game changes and Dorchester with renewed confidence flood forward time and time again over the next 10 mins. They win five corners in this period and have two shots saved by McAdden, a further shot blocked by Stow and a last-ditch tackle by Bayliss for us to keep it at 1 – 1.
We make our final change as Bunting replaces an unhappy Sam Smart who trudges off round the pitch to the dressing room.
We create a couple of half-chances on 81 & 82 mins as a shot from Deadfield from about 25yds is blocked and a Wright half-volley slides 3yds wide.
The game enters the 90th minute with neither team showing like they can get a winner, but there is no sign the ref wants to blow his whistle then on 93 mins Dorchester break again and the forward on the left looks to be blocked by Stow, but then to me mishits his shot and it totally wrong-foots McAdden and slides past him to the goal. Basingstoke 1 – 2 Dorchester.
The ref blows the final whistle a minute later and yet again we have failed to beat a team on paper we should have beaten, and the 20 odd Magpie fans celebrate as the Stoke fans drift away heartbroken.
Final Score: Basingstoke Town 1 – 2 Dorchester Town
Final Thought’s – The rain clearly affected this game, but honestly we couldn’t break the dogged defence of Dorchester. The Magpie keeper had a good sound game and did what he needed to do, but to be honest we did not create enough chances on goal all-day.
Our losing run goes on and is starting to remind me of this time last season.
Clearly their needs to be changes in personnel or formation when we travel to the Met Police next Saturday.
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 