Match Report: Basingstoke Town 3 – 1 Dorchester Town – Saturday 20th April 2024

Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 20th April 2024
Basingstoke Town 3 v 1 Dorchester Town Attendance 1,035
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this crucial last home game of the season was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Aleks Kokoszka 3. Massimo Giamattei, 4. Luis Le Paih, 5. Curtis Angell, 6. Billy Upton, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Simon Dunn (Capt), 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. Paul Hodges, 11. Dan Rowe,
On the bench: Ben Cook, Shamar Moore, Stefan Brown, Jake Impiazzi & Joel Halliday
Referee – TBC

In front of Stoke’s largest crowd of the season, this crucial game got underway and there were initial attacks from both sides, which were dealt with by the defences, then Dorchester broke in the eighth minute, but their forward Gwengwe, dragged his shot just wide of the post.

Simon Grant then Billy Upton made last ditch blocks to keep Dorchester out.
Stoke then broke on twenty-five minutes as Dan Rowe, broke on the right, and slid the ball across to Liam Ferdinand, but his right-foot shot lacked real power and the visiting keeper made the save.
Curtis Angell then made a diving block from a goal-bound shot.

With twelve minutes to the break, Dorchester’s Gwengwe, failed to put them ahead, as he fell on the ball, two yards out from the goal, which allowed Grant to grab the ball.

Then on forty-five minutes, it was Stoke who broke the deadlock, as a long Upton clearance upfield, is brought down by Ferdinand, as he slipped his marker then clips the ball past the oncoming keeper, as the ball bounced into an open net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Dorchester Town (Ferdinand 45 mins)
There was a further two minutes of play before the referee blew the halftime whistle.

Halftime – Basingstoke Town 1 v 0 Dorchester Town
The game restarted with Stoke now attacking the railway end, and two shots from Dorchester forwards fail to find the target flying wide of the post.

Stoke then had two attacks but Dorchester are able to block both shots.

Then just before the hour mark, Dorchester levelled the game, as a goalmouth scramble ended as the linesman flagged that the ball had crossed the line. Basingstoke 1-1 Dorchester

Stoke then hit back just four minutes later, as Wilson broke down the left, then found Ferdinand whose shot, is blocked back to Wilson who curled a pearler of a shot into the far top corner of the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 2 – 1 Dorchester Town (Wilson 63 mins)

Stoke attacked four minutes later through Dunn’s neat pass, to Rowe, but his shot is blocked by a Dorchester defender.
Stoke’s midfield duo Luis Le Paih & Paul Hodges continued to win more than their fair share of tackles, as Dorchester continued to look for an equaliser,
Stoke then made their first change with Simon Dunn replaced by Ben Cook (74 mins).

Dorchester continued to press over the next few minutes, but some strong defensive play by Alek Kokoszka and Curtis Angell keep them at bay.

Then Le Paih went on a jinking run from deep in his home half, down the left wing before finally losing it by Dorchester’s corner flag, as we entered the final ten minutes.

Stoke then made their second change with Liam Ferdinand replaced by Shamar Moore (85 mins).
Grant then made a save down low from a header at the far post.

We then entered the first of five confirmed added-minutes, as Moore’s neat footwork won a free-kick, that failed to beat the wall and the rebounding shot from Rowe failed to trouble the Dorchester keeper.

Stoke then nailed the three points as a Dorchester attack with their keeper up as well, the ball fell to Hodges, who thumped the ball seventy yards, and the ball bounced off the right-hand and then spun across the goal into the left-hand corner of the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 3 – 1 Dorchester Town (Hodges 97 mins)
The referee blew the final whistle a minute later, confirming Basingstoke’s place in the league next season.

Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 3 v 1 Dorchester Town
Ferdinand 45+1 mins, Wilson 63 mins,      Turner 59 mins,
Hodges 97 mins
Match Thought’s
Well what a battle against a strong side yesterday, and our defence stood up proudly yesterday, and special mention to Aleks Kokoszka, who will be part of our future side. The midfield battled and Luis Le Paih proved again what a find he is. In such an important game our forwards found the net, as Wilson’s exquisite finish at a critical time of the game. Hodges clearance had the fans behind the goal, gasp, before sent into raptures, as the bounced off the post before taking three further bounces as it spun back into the net.
Up Next:
Basingstoke’s last game of the season, is at nearby neighbours Hungerford Town next Saturday (27th)

Match Report by Martin French..