Southern League Premier South Division – Saturday 19th August 2023
Basingstoke Town 5 v 0 Harrow Borough Attendance 544
Where: Winklebury Sports, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Dan Brownlie’s line-up for today’s home game was: 1. Mark Scott, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4. Michael Atkinson, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. William Upton, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8.Benjamin Cook, 9. Morrison Hashii, 10. Daniel Rowe, 11. George Reid
On the bench: D’Andre Brown, Kai Hobbs, Nathan Smart, Sam Argent & Joel Halliday
Referee – Adrian Harris
Game 4 of our league season got underway with Stoke attacking the car park end in the first-half and win a couple of corners in the first few minutes, but Harrow are able to deal with them.
Stoke continue to press forward, and a neat move involving Ben Cook, George Reid, ends with Marcus Johnston-Schuster firing a shot just wide of the near post.
Stoke were then rewarded for all their attacking intent on twenty minutes as we take the lead after Billy Upton heads home from close range. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Harrow Borough (Upton 20 mins)
Stoke then double their lead four minutes later as a Stoke attack leads to the ball deflecting to Morrison Hashii just inside the area, and he takes one touch before sliding the ball past the Harrow keeper. GOAL!! Basingstoke Town 2 – 0 Harrow Borough (Hashii 24 mins)
Harrow seem a little shell-shocked as Stoke push forward looking for more goals.
Then just past the half-hour we were awarded a penalty as the Harrow keeper is penalised for having brought down George Reid inside the penalty area. Bradley Wilson steps up and sends the keeper the wrong way. GOAL!!! Basingstoke Town 3 – 0 Harrow Borough (Wilson 33 mins pen)
Harrow have a little bit of pressure in our half and Upton blocks a cross out for a corner. The corner kick is curled in, and Mark Scott punches the ball clear.
Then with five minutes to go before the break, Scott gets the ball and quickly kicks the ball deep into the Harrow half, the ball bounces inside their penalty area, and a defender and their keeper collide in mid-air, and the ball falls to George Reid, who pokes the ball home from eight yards, but the referee has blown for a foul on the keeper who is lying on the floor injured. The keeper quickly recovers and the game gets back underway.
Then on forty-five minutes Hashii forces a diving save out of the Harrow keeper after good work from Upton.
Then in the fourth minute of added-time, Ben Cook takes the ball down the right wing and sends over a cross that Reid gets his head to the ball, but can’t direct it towards the goal, and the referee blows the halftime whistle.
Halftime – Basingstoke Town 3 v 0 Harrow Borough
Unsurprisingly there was no changes at halftime, and the game gets back underway and Harrow win a free-kick followed by a corner, after Scott punches the ball out. Upton commandingly heads the ball clear.
Stoke haven’t really got going yet and we make our first change with D’Andre Brown replacing Ben Cook.
We then have two attacks that results in Reid knocking the ball just wide of the far right-hand post.
Stoke are looking to extend their lead as Wilson forces a nice save out of the Harrow keeper.
Then on 66 minutes, the fourth goal does arrive, as the ball is neatly switched from the right to Wilson on the left, who takes the ball into the penalty area and hits a shot that the keeper can only palm the ball into Reid’s path who hooks the ball into the roof of the net. GOAL !!!! Basingstoke Town 4 – 0 Harrow Borough (Reid 66 mins)
It’s time for our second change as Sam Argent replaces Dan Rowe (72 mins).
The game is comfortably won and we make our final change on 78 mins with Nathan Smart replacing George Reid.
Then with just under ten minutes to go, our new goal-scoring sensation Michael Atkinson receives the ball in Harrow’s half, then goes on a run and then lets fly a shot that leaves the Harrow keeper helpless as the ball thunders into the net. GOAL !!!!! Basingstoke Town 5 – 0 Harrow Borough (Atkinson 81 mins)
Harrow haven’t given up and have a little bit of pressure in our penalty area, but Stoke’s defence is not going to concede today, as we move into added-time.
We still have time for a mazy run by Upton, but his shot flies wide of the far post. The referee plays just over six minutes of added-time, before blowing the full-time whistle on a comprehensive victory for Stoke.
Full-time Score : Basingstoke Town 5 v 0 Harrow Borough
Upton 20 mins, Hashii 24 mins, Wilson 33 mins (pen)
Reid 66 mins, Atkinson 81 mins
Match Thought’s
Once we scored that opening goal, the game never seemed in doubt, as we dominated all areas of the pitch, and Harrow despite battling the whole game, look a poor team. Hashii opened his Stoke account and continues to impress the Stoke faithful, whilst the rest of the goals were shared around the team, including Michael Atkinson, who seems to have found some goal-scoring boots.
Much happier feeling at the club now we have that first win under our belts and we sit in fourteenth place in the league.
Up Next:
We have a week before we head back out on the road to Didcot Town next Saturday afternoon.
Match Report by Martin French..
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