Match Report: Chipstead 2 v 4 Basingstoke Town Saturday 18th February 2023

Isthmian South Central Division – Saturday 18th February 2023
Chipstead 2 v 4 Basingstoke Town Attendance 203
Where: High Road, Chipstead, Surrey CR3 3SF
A Second-half Fightback from Stoke Earns All Three Points
Dan Brownlie’s line-up today was: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Callum Winchcombe, 4, D’Andre Brown, 5. Billy Upton, 6. Scott Armsworth, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Simon Dunn (Capt), 9. Paul Hodges, 11. George Reid, 19. Sam Argent
On the bench: James Clark, Ben Cook, Marcio Neves & Nathan Smart
Referee – Chris Poole

Our latest promotion game got underway with a light drizzle descending the ground and it appears Callum Winchcombe has received an early booking in the second minute. The homeside appear to have come out the blocks the faster, as a through ball in the fourth minute was lost by one of our defenders and Chipstead’s big number 9, (the player we had looked to sign), was able to collect the ball and despatch the ball past Paul Strudley in our goal. Chipstead 1-0 Stoke.

Minutes later, Chipstead broke once more down our left, and a pass inside, saw a wide-open Chipstead forward blaze his shot over the bar from inside the penalty area.

Stoke’s first attack was on eight minutes, but it was ended rather abruptly as the ball was fed to George Reid down the right and the Chipstead No.4, made no attempt to make a tackle, but just shoved Reid in the back, and we were awarded a free-kick. The free-kick was cleared by a Chipstead defender to the halfway line.

As the game continued it is noticeable that Chipstead look to have five at the back, in an attempt to cut down any space for Reid or Bradley Wilson down the flanks.

Things were to worsen, as in the sixteenth minute, another long through ball by Chipstead, finds their No.9 who outhustles Scott Armsworth at the back, then finds the corner of the net. Chipstead 2-0 Stoke.

On twenty minutes the Chipstead No.4 goes in the book as he takes out another Stoke player down the right. The free-kick by Reid, beats the wall and appears to have been saved by the keeper, but the ball rolls underneath his body and slowly rolls across the line and in to the net. GOAL! Chipstead 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Reid 21 mins)

Despite the goal, Stoke continue to struggle as the uneven pitch does not allow any flow to our play, but we continue to push forward to get the equaliser.
Wilson then goes in the book for arguing an unpunished tackle on him minutes earlier.

Chipstead create another attack, which results in Markus Johnson-Schuster having to head the ball off the goal-line.

It’s Scott Armsworth’s turn to go in the book for a tackle just outside our penalty area. The free-kick is held by Strudley at the bottom of the right-hand post.

The last action of the half, is when a Chipstead forward, thumps a shot out high and out of the ground towards Chipstead village.
The referee allows three minutes of added-time before blowing the halftime whistle.

Halftime – Chipstead 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town
The second-half gets underway and it’s Stoke who have come out showing more purpose, as we push forward, forcing a save out of their keeper, and a through ball to Wilson, that he’s just unable to control, as he enters the penalty area.

Simon Dunn, is the latest Stoke player to receive a yellow-card for a late tackle (53 mins).
There are calls for a Stoke penalty a minute later as Wilson goes down in the box, but the referee waves away our protests.

We make a double change substituting James Clark for Sam Argent, and Ben Cook replacing D’Andre Brown.
From the restart, we break down the right and the cross is blocked out to Paul Hodges who thumps the ball into the roof of the net. GOAL!! Chipstead 2 – 2 Basingstoke Town (Hodges 62 mins)

Minutes later a through ball finds Wilson, who takes the ball into the box, before being pulled down and the referee points to the spot, then shows the red card to Chipstead’s No.5. After a two-minute delay which includes a yellow-card for their No.8, Wilson steps up and despite the keeper getting to it, the ball finds the back of the net. GOAL!!! Chipstead 2 – 3 Basingstoke Town (Wilson 68 mins Pen)

Stoke continue to be the team pushing forward, but Chipstead break down the right, but a shot flies high and wide of the far-post.
Then on seventy-five minutes, the ball is passed to Hodges who stops and turns on the ball before finding Reid down the right, who outpaces his player to the by-line and then slides the ball to Cook who hits a shot that the Chipstead No.7 somehow has got back on the line and he deflects the ball across the face of the goal and out for a corner.

The game is then halted, as the Chipstead No.9 walks off the pitch after a claim of him being racially abused. It takes a couple of minutes for him to return and the referee then requests that the numerous Stoke fans behind the goal, are moved to the side of the pitch.
With the Stoke fans moved, the game finally restarts and minutes later James Clark goes in the book.

With the man advantage, it is Stoke who look to come forward as we play the last few minutes of normal time.

There’s another delay after the Chipstead No.3 gets hit flat in the face with the ball. It’s at this time that we make our final change with Nathan Smart replacing George Reid.
The game restarts and from our throw-in, we break down the right and Hodges breaks clear with the Chipstead players stood motionless, and Hodges slides the ball past the Chipstead keeper into the net. GOAL!!!! Chipstead 2 – 4 Basingstoke Town (Hodges 90 mins)

There is another long delay as the Chipstead players fiercely complain that the goal should not stand, as they expected us to give them back the ball, after the injury to their player.
The game restarts and in the 97th minute, Strudley makes a neat save at the near post.
Billy Upton has picked up a knock and hobbles off, and both teams are down to ten.

The referee does not appear to want to stop the game, but finally blows the final whistle after fourteen minutes of added-time, and Stoke extend their winning streak to ten matches.

Full-time Score: Chipstead 2 v 4 Basingstoke Town
Kabuikusomo 4 & 16 mins               Reid 26 mins, Hodges 62 & 90 mins, Wilson 68 mins (Pen)

Match Thought’s
A sluggish start is turned around and the points despite all the complaints and delays go to Stoke. I am sure the referees report may be a long one and will be interesting to see if anything comes back from the league.
Up Next:
Following our tenth win in a row, we head back out on the road this Wednesday evening, in our first match-up this season against Southall, at Robert Parker Stadium (Ashford).

Match Report by Martin French..

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