Southern League Premier South – Saturday 14th December 2024
Basingstoke Town 2 vs 1 Wimborne Town Attendance TBC
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for the last home game before Christmas was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Curtis Angell, 4. Rudy Allen, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Brody Peart, 8. D’Andre Brown, 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. Robbie Gallagher, 11. George Reid
On the bench: 12. Nnamdi Nwachuku, 14. Luis Le Paih, 15. Daniel Warre, 16. James Clark & 17. Ben Cook
Referee – Craig Davenport
It was Basingstoke who attacked the car-park end in the first-half, and Stoke won three corners in the space of a minute, but all came to nothing.
The visitors then won a free-kick down the left, which saw a Wimborne forward get a touch to it, and whether it was mean’t or not, the ball looped in the air over Simon Grant and into the net. Basingstoke 0-1 Wimborne
Wimborne pushed for a second, but it was Stoke who created the next chance, as a good move saw George Reid slide past two defenders, but hook his shot wide of the left-hand post.
Twenty minutes in we traded free-kicks from just outside the box, as ours was a weak shot saved by the keeper, whilst Wimborne’s flew comfortably over the bar.
The game still lacked any real cohesion as we hit thirty minutes, not helped by a number of poor passes by both sides.
With five minutes to go to the break, Stoke came close to levelling the game, as a neat pass from Reid to Liam Ferdinand whose shot was saved by the keeper, rebounded to Brody Peart, whose shot forced a full-length save out of the Wimborne keeper, and the ball was scrambled clear.
Robbie Gallagher then broke clear, but his side-footed shot was easily held by the Wimborne keeper.
Wimborne then missed a golden chance to double their lead, as a neat move allowed their winger time and space to beat Grant in goal, but his shot from ten yards was fortunately knocked wide of the left-hand post.
The referee played two minutes of added-time as Stoke went into the break once again behind.
Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 1 Wimborne Town
Stoke opened the second-half, and after good work by Ferdinand, it was Rudy Allen who smashed a left foot shot over the bar.
Stoke came close to finding the equaliser, just past the hour mark, as from a free-kick a Wimborne defender headed back towards his own goal only for their keeper to palm the ball away and another defender knocked it out for a corner.
Reid then set Ferdinand up once again, but his shot was blocked away for another corner, this time on the right.
Finally one of these corners brought reward, as Peart pinged the ball to the far post, where Jack Ball out jumped his markers and headed the ball home from close range. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Wimborne Town (Ball 66 mins)
Stoke then made it’s first change of the game, when Brody Peart was replaced by Nnamdi Nwachuku (69 mins).
Nnamdi’s first touch of the ball should have put us ahead, after good work by Gallagher set the ball to Ferdinand whose turn and pass fell to Nnamdi, but his shot from six yards was blocked, then held by the keeper.
Wimborne were clearly rattled by our fightback and seconds later a long ball saw Ferdinand break clear, only to be pulled down just outside the penalty area. With Peart off, up stood D’Andre Brown, who curled a shot into the far corner of the net GOAL! Basingstoke Town 2 – 1 Wimborne Town (Brown 66 mins)
The second goal clearly upset the Wimborne players, as the game was held up as pushing and shoving saw a Wimborne defender go in the book, followed by one of Wimborne’s coaches on the bench.
Stoke made their second change when George Reid was replaced by Ben Cook (76 mins).
Gallagher then bloke clear down the left, but his cross was met by a Wimborne defender just before Ferdinand got a touch.
That was to be Gallagher’s last involvement in the game, as he was Stoke’s third substitution when he was replaced by James Clark (83 mins).
Stoke still looking to add a third, then saw Ferdinand in Wimborne’s penalty area, who rather than going down, after being kicked in the leg, stayed upright and the referee waived away calls for the penalty.
Wimborne were not giving up without a fight, and it needed two good tackles by Rudy Allen then Billy Upton, who seemed to be spending more time on the sidelines, than on the pitch, after receiving a number of blows throughout the second-half.
The crowd were then aghast when the added-time board showed ten minutes.
Stoke made it’s fourth change with Liam Ferdinand replaced by Dan Warre (94 mins).
Stoke were holding Wimborne at bay, and then made their final change with D’Andre Brown replaced by Luis Le Paih (98 mins).
Two minutes later, the referee had seen enough and blew the final whistle, and Stoke were back to winning ways.
Full-time Score: Basingstoke Town 2 vs 1 Wimborne Town
Ball 66 mins, Brown 72 mins Carmichael 7 mins
Match Thought’s
A rather scrappy game overall, saw us fight back and deservedly take the points and end that winless streak. A lot more fight and pressure in the second-half, saw us turn the tide on a dogged Wimborne side.
Do we have a new free-kick taker in D’Andre Brown, only our much happier Manager Dan Brownlie can answer that.
Up Next:
Well our last game before Christmas is our trip to local rivals Winchester City this coming Tuesday evening (17th) KO 7.45pm
Match Report by Martin French..
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