Evo-Stick South Premier Division South Saturday 9th March 2019
Basingstoke Town 2 v 0 Swindon Supermarine Attendance 357
With no new signings but a couple of injuries to our loan player’s, the return of Charlie Kennedy, Harry Pearse and Dan Bayliss from injury, Martin Kuhl was able to start with a strong line-up today; 1.Tom McGill 2. Dean Stow 3. Adam Everiss, 4.Michael Atkinson 5.Jack Wakely 6. Charlie Kennedy (Capt) 7. Sam Smart 8. Harry Pearse 9. Sam Argent 10. Sam Deadfield 11. Ben Wright
On the bench; 12. Orvis 14. A. Harris 15 D. Bayliss 16.Hunt 17. Akers
With the strong wind swirling around the Camrose, Stoke attacked the clubhouse end in the first half, knowing that three points were vital in this tough match-up.
Stoke were first on the attack and on two minutes, had the ball in the net after Pearse put Argent through who clipped the ball past the keeper, for Smart to follow it up and tap it into the net, only to note that the linesman had his flag up and the goal was ruled out for offside.
The Marine then have two minutes of play in the final third of our pitch, sending in crosses from either side of the pitch, but both are defended well, the first by Wakely and the second by Stow.
On 8 minutes we then break, and the ball is fed to Argent who as he edges towards the penalty area takes one touch too many and a Swindon defender is able to clear the ball.
On 9 minutes and the first sign how strong the wind is blowing, as a long pass downfield beats the Stoke defender and Marine forward and then bounces over the head of McGill’s advance and fortunately rolls out for a goal-kick.
Then on 15 minutes Stoke take the lead, after a cross into the heart of the penalty are is deliberately handled by a Swindon defender as it was getting to Ben Wright, and the referee has no choice but to blow for a penalty and there’s no complaints from the away team. Ben Wright steps upto take the penalty and slots low and past the diving keeper into the bottom right hand corner of the net. GOAL !! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Swindon Supermarine.
Basingstoke Town are straight back on the attack just two minutes later, as a cross from Smart down the left finds Argent whose touch from 4yds out is pushed away by the keeper, the follow-up by Wright is blocked on the line, back to Wright, whose then somehow flicks it just over the bar for a goal-kick.
Then on 21 minutes another run by Smart, this time down the right, he then sends in a lovely low cross, that Deadfield slides forward and gets a slight touch on the ball and the ball slides past the goalmouth and just past the far post and out for another goal-kick.
It continues to be all Stoke at the moment, as Pearse has the midfield under control with Deadfield and Atkinson seemingly winning everything at the moment.
On 33 minutes after good work from Pearse who finds Argent, Sam then finds Wright who slides it onto Pearse, and he goes round the outside of the defender. There’s calls for a penalty, but Pearse wins the corner.
After a couple of short corners earlier, Pearse swings a lovely cross tow yards out across the face of the goalmouth, neither team can get a touch on it until Sam Deadfield slides just past the far post and the connection takes it high and wide.
The next few minutes, neither team can create an attack.
Then on 41 minutes, Swindon break down the right via their right back who slides the ball into McDonagh, whose shot takes a nasty bounce, but is parried by McGill and the ball rolls out for a corner. Wakely is first to the cross and heads it initially clear then followed up by good tackling work from Atkinson and Stow.
The ref plays a minute of injury-time (Kennedy injury), before he blows the halftime whistle on a much better all-round performance.
The second-half gets underway with us attacking the Town End and the first attack is on 47 minutes as the ball is pushed out wide to Pearse, he slide it inside to Argent, who looks to shoot, but fiends Deadfield, whose right-foot shot, takes a strong deflection and flies wide of the past and out for a corner down the left hand side.
A minute later and we win a corner down the right. It’s another short corner, this time to Smart who sends in a hard low cross that beats the defenders, but finds the safe hands of the keeper.
Then Swindon’s best chance of the game is missed by their goal-scorer Conor McDonagh, who must have left his goal-scoring boots at home today, as the ball is fed to him, just inside the box, he takes it past two defenders and then hits a left-foot shot 3yds wide of the far post.
Although not a dirty game, that’s at least three Marine players in the book.
On 59 minutes another attack by Stoke and the ball find Argent 16yds out, who tries a spectacular overhead kick. He makes reasonable contact, but it rolls harmlessly out for a goal-kick.
Swindon are showing more fight for a few minutes, without creating anything on goal.
Then another good attack down the left, as the ball comes to Smart, who cuts inside, who drills a shot that flies high and wide of the goal.
Then on 64 mins, was that a back pass by Stow, as a cross comes in and takes a touch of Stow, straight back to McGill. Nothing is given!
Basingstoke make their first change on 69 mins as Ben Wright is replaced by Zidane Akers.
Then on 71 mins, Argent has a chance to make it two-nil, as a mix-up by defender and keeper on the by-line is fluffed to Argent about 24yds out, the ball is slightly spinning, but his first time shot into an open net, is mishit badly and it rolls way wide of the far post.
Then on 72 mins a harmless kick into the goalmouth is caught by the keeper as Argent leans into him. The ref blows for a free-kick, but a tussle between the keeper and Argent, is ended when the keeper swings a right-handed haymaker and connects with Agent who goes down clutching his face. The ref quickly intercedes and shows the keeper a straight red card and after a minute of so of taking his gloves and shirt off trudges off down the tunnel into the dressing room. Argent is back up and holding his face and no action is taken by the referee towards Argent. The No.5 Liddiard replaces the keeper in goal.
It seems the sending off has killed the game as the next seven or eight minutes there is nothing of note and yet again we can’t test the back-up keeper.
Another Swindon player goes in the book for a tackle on Smart. Is that four or five now. Stow has been booked for Stoke.
Then on 84 mins a long move by Smart down the right, the left-back is on his heels and Smart from the by-line takes the ball back away from goal more then 20yds out and then finds Stow who gives it to Deadfield who then clips it over the top to Pearse, who outpaces the defender, the back-up keeper is caught in two minds and Pearse gets the ball under control and then plants it past the keeper and into the back of the net. GOALLL !! Basingstoke Town 2 – 0 Swindon Supermarine.
A minute after the restart, Stoke make our second chance as we decide to rest Pearse and he is replaced by Dan Bayliss.
Then on 88 minutes Swindon have a good attack as a shot is blocked out to the right, the cross looks to be met by a Swindon forward until Stow somehow gets in front of him and heads it clear.
We are now deep in injury-time as the home crowd await the final whistle. It hits 95 minutes when the referee puts an end to the game.
Final Score: Basingstoke Town 2 v 0 Swindon Supermarine
Final thought’s – A much better all-round performance by Basingstoke, who were deserved winners. The midfield partnership of Pearse, Deadfield & with Smart attacking down both wings was much better.
There was much better fight across the whole squad and the defence Wakely, Everiss, Kennedy were pretty damn good today with Dean Stow exceptional, in my view.
McGill still looks the prospect that Brighton are hoping he will be.
With the win Basingstoke jump up four places to 15th.
Up next is the road trip to fellow relegation battlers in a six-pointer at Dorchester Town.
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 