Match Report: Gosport Borough 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town – FA Cup 1st Qualifying Rnd – Saturday 30th August 2025

FA Cup 1st Qualifying Rnd – Saturday 30th August 2025
Gosport Borough 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance
Where: Privett Park, Privett Road, Gosport, Hants PO12 3SX
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this FA Cup encounter was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Elliott Legg, 4. James Dickson, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Robbie Gallagher, 8. D’Andre Brown, 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10.Ben Cook, 11. George Reid
On the bench: 14. James Clark, 15. Josh Green, 16. Connor Barratt, 17. Bradley Wilson, 18. Joel Rollinson & 13. Dmitri Hardman
Referee – Adrian Harris

With the expected rain starting to fall, Basingstoke pushed forward in the opening minutes, and a through ball was just out of the reach of Liam Ferdinand’s run, as the keeper came out and claimed it.

Gosport’s first attack won a corner on the right, and from this they took the lead, as Simon Grant was unable to keep the header out. Gosport 1 – 0 Basingstoke

Robbie Gallagher and Elliott Legg combined neatly down the left, but Gallagher’s cross was cut out by a Gosport defender.

Gosport created another half chance on seventeen minutes, as a long ball was headed across the face of the goal, and Grant beat a Gosport forward to the ball.
Grant was called into action once again three minutes later, as a misplaced pass, allowed a Gosport forward to cut along the by-line, but his shot was blocked by Grant’s legs.

On twenty-five minutes, Stoke won it’s first corner of the day, and from the clearance it fell to Jack Ball, whose left-foot shot flew five yards over the bar.
Stoke then won a free-kick 25 yards out, but George Reid’s shot lacked real power as it hit the bottom of Gosport’s wall.
Stoke continued to have the next few minutes of play as, but failed to put anything of note on the Gosport goal.

Grant was then forced into blocking another shot with his legs, and the rebound was smashed high over the bar.
Stoke then had two further attacks, as Gallagher beat two players as he but inside the penalty area on the left, but again the shot lacked power and was easily held by the keeper. Then Ferdinand found space to curl a shot that flew four yards wide of the left-hand post.

Controversy then hits the game, as Gallagher’s neat run, was stopped inside the penalty, as calls for a penalty were waived away, as the ball is cleared up field, as Gallagher was confronted by two Gosport defenders, and as a tussle ensued, the play upfield appeared to see Grant take out the Gosport forward, and the referee showed Grant a red card. The referee then also showed Gallagher and a Gosport defender yellow cards. Liam Ferdinand was sacrificed to put Dmitri Hardman in goal (40 mins).

Gosport looked to double their lead, but we blocked the ball in front of goal, then a minute later, Gosport hit the post, and the rebound was cleared.
Four minutes of added-time were played in which Reid, had a shot comfortably held by the keeper, and we trail at halftime.

Halftime Score: Gosport Borough 1 – 0 Basingstoke Town
The halftime talk gave us new incentive, and we pressed in the opening minute, as Ball’s shot, deflected over the bar. The resulting corner saw Reid, glance a header across the goalmouth and out for a goal-kick.

Stoke attacked again, but the Gosport keeper is fortunate as the ball rebounded to him off Billy Upton.
Stoke made its second change of the game, as D’Andre Brown was replaced by Josh Green (63 mins).

Gosport came back into the game and Hardman made a good save. However, a minute later Gosport doubled their lead, as a free-kick beat the wall and Hardman in goal. Gosport 2 – 0 Basingstoke

Stoke made its third change, as James Dickson was replaced by Connor Barratt (68 mins).
Gosport pushed for a third, but good defensive work by Ball and then Legg kept them at bay.

Good work from Gallagher, set-up Reid, but he lost his footing as he shot, and the ball flied wide.
Stoke made its fourth change as Bradley Wilson replaced Markus Johnson-Schuster (73 mins), which was followed by fifth and final change as Ben Cook was replaced by Joel Rollinson (76 mins).

The persistent rain was now starting to effect both teams, as there was a lot of surface water, that was not draining away.
Gosport then should have made it three, but a Gosport forward, two yards out with the goal gaping, took too-long, and Hardman scrambled across the goal and made a fine save down low.
Gosport attacked again, but the decent shot from 20yards was held well by Hardman.

Now deep in added-time, Stoke pulled a goal back as Legg made no mistake from close range GOAL! Gosport Borough 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Legg 94 mins)
The game got back underway, but within a minute, the referee called time, and put an end to Stoke’s participation in this year’s FA Cup.

Full-time Score: Gosport Borough 2 v 1 Basingstoke Town
Wassmer 9 mins, Greenwood 62 mins,      Legg 94 mins

Match Thought’s
Many fans questioned the starting line-up, and it took Basingstoke some time to put any real pressure on the Gosport goal. Two terrible decisions by the well-known referee Adrian Harris, as firstly the game should have been stopped for the physical attack on Robbie Gallagher. Secondly, video footage, shows that Grant got clean contact with the ball, and thus should have remained on the park.
Stoke once again, despite the player disadvantage, looked a much better side in the second-half, and battled well, if not troubling the Gosport keeper often enough.
Ultimately, we are out of the FA Cup once again, and loss of important revenue, as well as prestige for the club.
Up Next:
We have a week to get over the defeat, as we host Hungerford Town at Winklebury next Saturday (6th September), KO 3pm

Match Report by Martin French..