Isthmian South Central Division – 6th November 2021
Bracknell Town 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance 547
Where: SB Stadium, Bottom Meadow, Sandhurst Memorial Field, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst. Berkshire. GU47 9BJ
Ten man Stoke lose for the first time in the league due to an injury-time winner.
Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up for this match-up against Bracknell Town was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Aiden Lewis, 3. James Haworth, 4. Anton Rodgers 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Daryl Wollers, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Ben Cook, 9. Conor Lynch, 10. McKoy Palmer, 11. Simon Dunn (Capt)
On the bench: Stefan Brown, Lloyd Snell, Daniel Williamson, D’Andre Brown & Joel Halliday
Referee – M Hayden
The game got underway with Stoke attacking the clubhouse end and neither side produced very little early of note, despite both sides winning corners, which were comfortably defended.
It was the hosts on 15 minutes who created the first real chance from a throw-in down the right, that set-up a one-two move that created a miss-hit shot from a low cross, that deflected wide of the goal for another corner. Stoke again defended the corner kick well and cleared upfield.
On 21 mins it the Bracknell keeper who suddenly went down injured, from his own goal-kick, and as the keeper received treatment, the whole Bracknell side rushed towards their teams dugout to receive instructions from their Manager. Once the keeper received the magic sponge the game resumed, but again all attacks were creating very little of note.
On 29 mins Stoke created an attack from the left wing through good work from Simon Dunn & McKoy Palmer, but the cross from the by-line failed to beat the first man and was blocked out for a corner.
Stoke then create a bit more pressure winning back-to-back corners, but Bracknell were able to defend both of these.
Another Stoke attack on 36 mins again involved Simon Dunn down the left, and his low cross just as he entered the penalty area was saved by the keeper as Bradley Wilson failed to get the vital touch on the ball.
On 37 mins defender Daryl Wollers received his and Stoke’s first yellow card of the day.
Bracknell then created two minutes of pressure on our goal, as a corner kick from the left hand-side bounced around six yard box and two shots were blocked before we scrambled the ball clear. Then another cross again from the left, was met by a low-shot left-foot shot from a Bracknell forward, that was blocked away as it headed towards goal.
Due the late start and the keeper’s injury, the game ran well into injury-time before the halftime whistle blew, on a half which never really got going.
Halftime Bracknell Town 0 – 0 Basingstoke Town
The game got back underway, with no changes by the Stoke side, and we created the first chance as Stoke broke forward down the right and Lynch sends the cross over to Haworth who gets the first touch on the ball and it flies towards the goal and the keeper makes a save.
The homeside then have the next chance as they break down the right, and a neat one-two move with two Bracknell attackers brings out a fine save from Paul Strudley down low.
Strudley then parries away another shot from another Bracknell attack on 58 mins.
Then on 65 mins Stoke make their first change as Stefan Brown replaces Conor Lynch.
Then on 68 mins Bracknell break down the right and Wollers appears to clip the Bracknell forward as he chases after the ball, and the referee awards a free-kick, and then shows Wollers a second-yellow card and Stoke are reduced to ten men. The free-kick is cleared away, but Bracknell win another corner a minute later and from that they take the lead (1-0).
We then make our second substitution as McKoy Palmer is replaced by Daniel Williamson in a move to protect the defence.
The game is starting to drift and then suddenly their keeper falls to the floor again and the ref stops the game once again as he receives the magic sponge. The many Stoke fans let’s just say are quite critical of this latest delay, but the game gets back underway and then Stoke make their third change as Ben Cook is replaced by D’Andre Brown.
Bracknell are pushing forward for a second-goal and Strudley has to come to the rescue once again as he palms a shot away from 10 yards and Nathan Smart clears.
We have been pushing forward more through James Haworth and with two minutes to go we win a free-kick down the left. Anton Rodgers takes the kick and swings in a cross to the six-yard line where Stefan Brown meets the ball first and knocks it home GOAL ! Bracknell Town 1 – 1 Basingstoke 1 (Brown 88 mins).
The equaliser brings out raptures of delight behind the goal as we head towards injury-time.
The board goes up for 6 mins of injury-time as Bracknell win another corner down the right. This time ex-Stoke defender Dan Bayliss is first to the corner and heads it home and we trail once again (2-1).
The last few minutes of injury-time are played out as Bracknell seem comfortable at the back and the referee blows time on the game and Stoke are beaten for the first time in the league.
Final Score: Bracknell Town 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town
Eweka 70 mins S Brown 88 mins
Bayliss 91 mins
Match Thought’s
Today’s game never really lived up to expectations, as both teams cancelled each other out, and was Daryl Wollers second yellow card the turning point in the game?
Up Next:
Well we have a chance to get back to winning ways as we host Uxbridge on Tuesday 10th November 7.45pm KO.
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