FA Trophy 3rd Rnd Qualifier – Saturday 7th October 2023
Basingstoke Town 3 v 0 Kidlington Attendance 405
Where: Winklebury Sports, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Dan Brownlie went with a line-up for this FA Trophy game of: 1. Mark Scott, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4. Michael Atkinson (Capt), 5. Nathan Smart, 6. William Upton, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Luis Le Paih, 9. Dan Rowe, 10. James Clark, 11. D’Andre Brown
On the bench: George Reid, Josh DeLacey-Turner, Simon Dunn, Scott Armsworth, Jon Boardman & Joel Halliday
Referee – James Colley
The game gets off to a slow start and although Stoke are the team with more possession, it is the visitors who have the first shot, but it flies high over the bar and into the groundworks behind the goal.
The game continues with Stoke looking to assert more pressure, but this is not helped by the referee, who seems a little whistle-happy.
Stoke win a corner on the left, which is headed over the bar by Billy Upton.
Then on twenty minutes we move through the middle of the pitch with a couple of neat passes, and the ball is then slid through to Dan Rowe, who takes two touches, before neatly beating the Kidlington keeper GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Kidlington (Rowe 20 mins)
The game continues with a little possession by Kidlington, but Stoke win a couple of corners around the half-hour point, which are cleared by the gigantic central defender. However, Soke continue to press, and the ball is pushed back out to Bradley Wilson on the right, who sends over a cross, that Upton is first too, and he heads it home from close range. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 2 – 0 Kidlington (Upton 31 mins)
Stoke are back on it from the restart and the ball is pushed down the left, and the ball is then fed across into the box, where James Clark neatly hits a left-foot shot, that finds the bottom right-hand cross of the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 3 – 0 Kidlington (Clark 33 mins)
The next attack of note is between Clark, Wilson and Rowe, but the cross is knocked out for a corner. Kidlington are able to clear the corner.
Kidlington then win a free-kick about twenty-five years out, directly in front of goal, however the kick flies high over the bar.
The referee allows just one minute of added-time, before blowing for the halftime, with Stoke in full control.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 3 v 0 Kidlington
Stoke make a change at halftime, with Billy Upton, who had taken a couple of knocks being replaced by Josh De lacey-Turner. This allows Luis Le Paih to slip into the back four with De Lacey-Turner taking his slot in midfield.
It’s still a bitty game due to the referee, making some strange decisions.
De Lacey-Turner’s first action is a nice cross from D’Andre Brown’s nice chipped pass, that finds Clark at the far post, but his half-volley shot flies over the bar.
Clark then neatly gets in the way of an argument between Rowe, and two Kidlington defenders who seemed to be doing their best to get Rowe a second-yellow card.
Stoke continue to push forward, but we are unable to put a shot on the keeper, as we move past the twenty-minute mark of the second-half.
Wilson has a couple of shots over the next few minutes, but both fly comfortably over the bar.
Kidlington have an attack but the cross from left is blocked and the ball rebounds to Mark Scott in goal.
It’s time for another Stoke substitution, with the much-awaited return of Simon Dunn, who replaces Michael Atkinson (74 mins).
The game already over as the result, has failed to really get going and we make our third change with the eagerly-anticipated return of George Reid, who replaces Bradley Wilson (79 mins).
Kidlington then attack and the referee awards a penalty, who is then made aware the linesman has his flag up for offside, and he changes his decision and awards us the free-kick.
The referee has confirmed that there will be just one added minute, which he plays out before blowing the final whistle, and Stoke progress into the next round.
Full-time Score : Basingstoke Town 3 v 0 Kidlington
Rowe 20 mins, Upton 31 mins, Clark 33 mins
Match Thought’s
Once Stoke had opened the scoring, the game never appeared in doubt and it was a neat finish by Dan Rowe. Good to see James Clark get a full 90 minutes. Hopefully Upton was replaced for precautionary reasons, and has not picked up any injury.
Good to get back to winning ways, plus the return of Dunn & Reid.
The FA Trophy draw will take place on Monday.
Up Next:
With no mid-week game this week, we return to the league and to Winklebury, as we host Poole Town next Saturday (14th).
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
Did what we needed to on the day and great to see Dunny & Reidy back on the pitch.
Bring on Swindon.