Southern League Premier South – Tuesday 21st October 2025
Dorchester Town 1 v 0 Basingstoke Town Attendance TBC
Where: The Avenue Stadium, Weymouth Avenue, Dorchester DT1 2RY
Dan Brownlie went with the same starting eleven as Saturday, 1. Simon Grant, 2. Ben Cook, 3. Joe O’Loughlin, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. D’Andre Brown, 8. Josh Green, 9. Cheick Sylla, 10. James Clark, 11. James Dickson
On the bench: 12. George Reid, 14. Liam Ferdinand, 15. Bradley Wilson, 16 Connor Barratt, 17. Markus Johnson-Schuster
Referee – Robert Ablitt
It was a slow start to the game, but it was Stoke who started to push forward and Stoke’s first attack of note was an attack ten minutes, started on the right, which was deflected over to Joe O’Loughlin on the left who took touches and hit a left-foot shot, that was on target until it took a strong block out for a corner on the left.
James Clark then won a corner on the left, and Jack Ball was up and his header hit the top of the bar and over, but apparently the keeper had got a touch on it, and awarded us a corner.
Stoke forced three more corners over the coming minutes, but failed to beat the first defender.
Dorchester have a little possession in our how half and a cross caused a bit of confusion and we needed to attempts to clear the ball.
Dorchester then should have taken the lead, but Simon Grant made a stunning save palming the ball away from a close range shot and we were able to hook the ball away.
It was Dorchester again as they broke and with some confusion at the back, it ended with Grant making the save with his legs.
Half-hour in, and after that in initial attacking period, we were under the cosh, and another shot was deflected over the bar.
Stoke then broke and a neat pass was fed to James Dickson, who could have had a right-foot shot, but cut in on his left and took two touches, before his shot was blocked.
Another good passing move between four players, got to the edge of Dorchester’s penalty area, but that final pass and shot was missing.
Three minutes to the break, and their were calls for a Dorchester penalty for a foul, but the referee waived it away.
That was it for the first-half and went into the break goal-less.
Halftime Score: Dorchester Town 0 – 0 Basingstoke Town
With no changes at halftime the second-half saw Stoke attacking the open terrace and the thirty-five Stoke fans present.
Stoke came forward looking for a goal, and from a corner on the right, Billy Upton fails to get a touch on it and it fell to D’Andre Brown, who took a touch before hitting a shot that rebounded of a defenders chest and out for a corner, ignoring the calls for handball.
Grant was called upon to make another great save, as Dorchester started finding space down the wings.
Josh Green then picked up a knock and after treatment was able to wait to return to the pitch, and wait he did, as the referee ignored calls for him to be return to the game for at least two minutes.
Dorchester were starting to gain more control of the game, as again more attacks down the wing were blocked by Jack Ball, and then Scott Armsworth.
It was time for Stoke’s first change as James Clark was replaced by Liam Ferdinand (61 mins).
Dorchester broke once more, and we blocked two shots, before a third shot was saved by Grant in goal.
A neat passing move between Ferdinand & Brown, fed O’Loughlin, but his cross close to the byline, could not beat the first defender and they cleared.
Dorchester were still the team pushing for an opening goal, and we made our second-change as James Dickson was replaced by Bradley Wilson (74 mins).
Dorchester were now clearly on-top, but our defence was holding firm, as we moved into the final fifteen minutes.
Stoke came close to finding the opener, as a cross from Jack Ball, was miss-headed by a defender to Wilson, who cut in on his right and hit a low right-foot shot, that the Dorchester with a full-length dive tipped the ball onto the post and out for a corner.
Dorchester continued to push forward again and a last ditch tackle kept them out.
Stoke made two further changes, as D’Andre Brown was replaced by George Reid, and Jack Ball was replaced by Markus Johnson-Schuster (84 mins).
Stoke won a corner on the right, and Scott Armsworth’s header flew wide of the post.
Stoke who had bravely fended off Dorchester, then saw the homeside break, and two passes and a shot found the back of the net Dorchester 1-0 Basingstoke (88 mins)
Josh Green picked up another heavy knock, which after treatment, was helped and we our final change as Green was replaced by Connor Barratt (89 mins).
O’Loughlin broke in the first of seven added-minutes, but Ferdinand failed to make a headed connection and Dorchester cleared.
Stoke in between further Dorchester attacks, failed to get a shot on the keeper, including a cross that two Stoke got players got in each others way, and the chance was gone.
A mix-up at the back, nearly gave Dorchester a chance to double the lead, but the open shot was smashed over the bar, and the referee blew the final whistle seconds later, and Stoke go down by that solitary late goal.
Full-time Score: Dorchester Town 1 v 0 Basingstoke Town
Parker 87 mins,
Match Thought’s
A good performance where we had good periods of the play, hitting the woodwork in each half, but we lacked that final pass and shot. Undone by Dorchester side who broke down both wings, and attacked down our bylines time and time again. Simon Grant player of the game?
Unfortunate to hold Dorchester for most of the game, only to concede a late goal.
Lots to learn and use from tonight’s game to plan for the FA Trophy match-up.
Up Next:
After Tuesday’s loss to Dorchester in the league, we now host them in the FA Trophy this Saturday (25th) KO 3pm
Match Report by Martin French..
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