Southern League Premier South – Saturday 27th September 2025
Gloucester City 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance 888
Where: Tiger Turf Stadium, Sudmeadow Road, Gloucester GL2 5HD
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this Saturday league fixture was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Joseph O’Loughlin, 4. James Dickson, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Josh Green, 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. Robbie Gallagher, 11. D’Andre Brown
On the bench: 12. Connor Barratt, 14. Ben Cook, 15. James Clark, 16. Scott Armsworth & 20. Dmitri Hardman
Referee – Liam Corbett
Due to a late arrival of our taxi, today’s match report started eight minutes into the game, with the understanding that Basingstoke have had a shot tipped over the crossbar by the Gloucester keeper.
Gloucester’s first real attack appeared on the eleventh minute as a cross saw keeper Simon Grant, punch the ball onto the bar and out for a corner.
Gloucester then found the net, but was correctly ruled out for offside, despite complaints from the Gloucester fans.
Gloucester then did find the net on eighteen minutes, as they found space on the left, and a cross was met by a Gloucester forward who made no mistake. Gloucester 1-0 Basingstoke
Stoke had a good move down the left as Joe O’Loughlin & Bradley Wilson neatly combined, with Wilson’s cross headed clear.
Gloucester came close to adding a second goal, but the curling shot from outside the box, was superbly pushed wide by Grant’s diving save.
A twenty passing move by City players, was finally brought to an end, following a strong tackle by Markus Johnson-Schuster.
Stoke had another attacking move down the right, but the cross flashed across the goal, with no Stoke player in the six-yard box.
Stoke continued to push forward, and O’Loughlin found Robbie Gallagher, whose shot was blocked on the line and Wilson’s follow-up was fluffed.
Gloucester then had a break, but their shot flew inches wide.
Stoke then had claims for a penalty waived away as D’Andre Brown’s shot appeared to be handled on the line, but the referee awarded a corner.
With the three minutes of added-time played out, Stoke went into the break trailing, but very much still in the game.
Halftime Score: Gloucester City 1 – 0 Basingstoke Town
Stoke started the second-half with clear attacking attentions, as Gallagher sent another cross along the face of the goal. This was then repeated a minute later as, Gallagher set-up Johnson-Schuster whose cross flashed across the goal, to D’Andre’s touch just past the far post rolled wide.
Grant was then forced into a good save as the homeside looked to get a hold in the game.
Stoke’s next attack was just before the hour-mark, via a neat passing move down the left as Wilson set-up O’Loughlin but his one-on-one shot was blocked away by the keeper.
Stoke’s small contingent of away fans were getting behind the team as Stoke pushed for an equaliser, and Gloucester clearly under pressure, made a number of changes to try and change the play of the game.
Stoke came close once more as the ball bounced around City’s six-yard box, but Liam Ferdinand, could only hook the ball over the bar.
Gloucester had a little more pressure, but Stoke pushed them back, and created the next attack of note, but Johnson-Schuster’s shot from outside the penalty area, flew over the bar.
Gallagher then attacked once more, and smashed a low cross come shot that the keeper parried away down low.
Stoke made its first change of the day, as D’Andre Brown was replaced by Ben Cook (71 mins).
Gloucester who had shown very little in the second-half then doubled their lead as a move down the left found their striker, who took two touches, to create space, and then slotted it past Grant in goal Gloucester 2-0 Basingstoke
This prompted Stoke to make its second-change as James Dickson was replaced by Connor Barratt (78 mins)
Stoke trying to get back in get back in the game made two further changes as Markus Johnson-Schuster was replaced by James Clark, and Joe O’Loughlin was replaced by Scott Armsworth (83 mins)
Gloucester came close to adding a third, as a cross from the left, saw the ball bounce off the post and into Grant’s hands.
Grant then raced forty yards out of his goal, to try and tackle a City forward, who out does him, and sent a shot from the touchline towards the goal, only for Billy Upton, to make a sliding clearance two yards from the goal-line.
Stoke’s deserved goal finally arrived from a cross, as the ball bounced inside the box, with Gloucester’s keeper hesitant, the ball fell to Gallagher on the line and he tapped it home from a foot. GOAL! Gloucester City 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Gallagher 87 mins)
Gloucester looked to put the game to bed, but Grant parried the shot wide of the post.
In the first minute of added-time, Stoke came close to finding the equaliser, as Ferdinand’s shot is blocked and Clark’s follow-up shot flew over the bar.
Despite Stoke’s best efforts, Gloucester held on for all three points.
Full-time Score: Gloucester City 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town
Hanks 18 mins, Wildig 77 mins, Gallagher 87 mins,
Match Thought’s
A hard-working honest battle, saw Stoke look the better of the two teams for large periods of the game, against a team at the top of the table, but ultimately we leave Gloucestershire with nothing. Strong performances by a lot of the players, will hopefully cement some confidence in the team going forwards.
Up Next:
We have a break from the league, as we host Shaftesbury Town next Saturday in the FA Trophy (KO 3pm)
Match Report by Martin French..
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