Match Report: Basingstoke Town 1 v 5 Chertsey Town Tuesday 16th November 2021

Isthmian South Central Division – 16th November 2021
Basingstoke Town 1 v 5 Chertsey Town Attendance 525
Where: Where: Winklebury Complex, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23
Stoke lose their second game of the season in a one-sided match

Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up this evening was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Aiden Lewis, 3. James Haworth, 4. Bradley Wilson, 5. Jon Boardman, 6. D’Andre Brown, 7. George Reid, 8. Ben Cook, 9. Lloyd Snell, 10. McKoy Palmer, 11. Simon Dunn (Capt)
On the bench: Jack French, Daniel Williamson, Daryl Wollers, Anton Rodgers & Joel Halliday
Referee – Ton Holden

With many Stoke fans questioning the starting line-up, it was Stoke who kicked off the game attacking the car-park end, and it was Stoke with the first attack, as George Reid picked up the ball around 35 yds out on the right, then switched play, sending the ball out to McKoy Palmer on the left who raced down to the by-line before sending the ball over, but with no Stoke player in the box, the ball flies across the face of the goal and out for a goal-kick.

The next few minutes has the visitors coming into the game, as we give the ball away twice with poor passes, fortunately timely tackles by Cook & Haworth stop any attack on goal.
We then create another chance on 10 mins, as we again attack down the left and Palmer this takes the ball along the by-line, before firing another cross past the face of the goal, where Snell is waiting at the far post, but his touch is poor and his shot is hit wide of the goal.

On 15 mins, Chertsey attack down our right and a curling cross, flies past their forward and out for a goal-kick.
On 19 mins, Cook retrieves the ball from a Chertsey forward deep in our half, and drives forward 30yds before sending Palmer away down the left, but as he cuts inside on his right, he has the ball taken off him and Chertsey attack down the left, and a curling cross just falls out of reach of their No.9 as the ball flies out for a throw-in on the right-hand side.

Then on 23 mins the visitors take the lead, as a long ball forward splits our centre-backs and a neat header past Wilson falls to their No.9 who finishes neatly from 20yds Stoke 0 – 1 Chertsey.

Nothing of note from Stoke over the next five minutes, as the visitors look comfortable on the ball, but although they have lots of possession, fail to trouble our goal.
Still nothing of note, until the 35th minute as Chertsey in a neat move pass the ball around Lewis and create a chance as the ball is pushed into the box, but the cross is met by a diving save by Strudley at the near post.

Our next attack on 38 mins again involves Palmer whose receives the ball from Cook, but McKoy’s cross is met by a Stoke player, whose shot flies high over the bar.

Another poor pass leads to them breaking and James Haworth goes in the book for his tackle. They then force a corner down the left. The kick is met at the far post by their No.5, whose header flies to the far post, where Cook clears it off the line, but Chertsey send the ball back in the goalmouth and we are able to block a shot that we are able to clear.
Nothing more of note, and the referee blows the halftime whistle.

Halftime Basingstoke Town 0 – 1 Chertsey Town
Stoke make two changes at halftime, as Boardman is replaced by Daryl Wollers and Anton Rodgers replaced George Reid.
The second-half falls into the same pattern as it’s Chertsey who control most of the possession, as more poor passing allows them to break down the right on 50 mins, but Strudley is left helpless as the cross is met by a Chertsey forward whose touch then shot, deflects past him into the goal (0-2).

We then have the next attack of note, as we break down the left, after good work from Dunn finds Snell. Snell takes it inside and then slides the ball onto a running D’Andre Brown whose shot from the edge of the penalty is dragged wide of the right-hand post.

It is still more Chertsey possession and pressure, as they force corners on 61 and 62 mins that we are able to clear. Another corner on 63 mins forces a save by Strudley.

Palmer has our next attack of note, but his shot from 30yds although well hit flies over the bar without troubling their keeper.

Then on 69 mins Chertsey extend their lead as they break down the left, their winger is allowed to waltz down our by-line then finds their player two-yards out who puts it past Strudley at the near post (0-3).
We continue to look second-best and Chertsey seem in full control, as their small band of fans celebrate at the car-park end.
A bad night turns even worse as we attack, and a through ball finds Cook between two defenders, but his first touch just rolls away from him as he enters the penalty and their keeper collects. He then sends it upfield and their No.9 Baxter is given way too much space and finishes with 15 mins to go (0-4).

It’s five for Chertsey, as even the luck is on their side, as a corner from the right finds Gasson whose shot past the far post is so poorly hit, it flies back out to the corner-kick taker, who sends it back in and little or no tackling allows them to find the net again.

We make our third and final change on 82 mins, as Ben Cook is replaced by Jack French.
We have some possession for the next few minutes, but nothing of note and then some good work finds Palmer whose shot beats the Chertsey keeper GOAL ! Basingstoke 1-5 Chertsey Town (Palmer 87 mins)

On 89 mins we are showing a bit of fight and Palmer takes the ball down the left wing and sends over a decent cross, but there is no Stoke player there to get the final touch.
We are now in injury-time and the home fans, the ones remaining, just want the night over.
The referee then finally blows the final whistle in the fifth minute of added time, on a poor night for Stoke.

Final Score: Basingstoke Town 1 – 5 Chertsey Town
Palmer 87 mins                                   Baxter 23 & 75 mins, Abisogun 50 mins
Bitmead 69 mins, Day 80 mins

Match Thought’s
Very little to say about the performance tonight, even with the injuries, we were poor gave the ball away too easily and only troubled their keeper once and that was Palmer’s goal.
Up Next:
Well after three consecutive home games, this Saturday we are back on the road as we head back into London to face another team we haven’t played before in Sutton Common Rovers, who groundshare with our old foes Sutton United.

Match Report by Martin French..

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1 COMMENT

  1. Good fair report of a woeful performance perpetuated by a shocking starting line up decisions by the manager. No attempt to put any pressure on a decent Chertsey side.

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