Evo Stick South Premier Division South 13th April 2019
Poole Town 3 – 2 Basingstoke Town Attendance 452
Where: The Black Gold Stadium, (Off) School Lane, Oakdale, Poole, Dorset. BH15 3JR
With Adam Everiss serving a one-match ban and Charlie Kennedy missing from the squad, Martin Kuhl’s line-up today was 1.Tom McGill, 2. Dean Stow 3. Jim Orvis, 4.Michael Atkinson 5.Jack Wakely 6. Dan Bayliss, 7. Sam Smart, 8. Harry Pearse, 17. Sam Argent, 10. Sam Deadfield (Capt), 11. Yvan Jourdan
On the bench; 12. Hollamby, 13. Rackley 14. Rusher 17. Wright
On a sunny dry but chilly day, the game kicked off with both teams knowing 3 pts were vital but for differing reasons, ours was survival, Poole’s for promotion.
Very little action by either team in the last third of either pitch as we head into the 9th minute, when Stoke win their first corner. The corner from Pearse is a short one to Deadfield, who returns to Pearse, whose right foot cross is headed clear, where Smart retrieves it, beats his left back and sends in a low cross that the home keeper recovers comfortably.
On 11 minutes and another playing out from the back is messed up, as Orvis loses it and they attack down the right, the first cross is well blocked by Orvis, but the ball rebounds to another Poole play who sends in the cross, However McGill is up and although initially drops the ball he is first on it to recover.
On 14 minutes, we win a free-kick down our left, the free-kick is a short one between, Pearse and Deadfield, which creates a shot from Pearse that hits the near post and rebounds clear with the keeper beaten.
On 17 minutes Poole who have started to come into the game, win a penalty as their forward goes down. The penalty however is dragged wide and the game remains goal-less.
The game has been a stop and start affair as a couple of Poole players have received knocks.
On 23 and from another Stoke attack, Atkinson shows some good work down the right with Smart, but the attack is broken up and the Dolphins break quick they send in a cross to the far post, where the ball is headed back across the goal where another Poole forward heads it but a good a good save from McGill.
Poole then win back-to-back corners which we are able to clear.
Then on the half-hour Poole take the lead as the ball is put away by forward Luke Roberts, as he slides the ball past McGill.
On 37 minutes we win a free-kick about 40yds out, the ball is initially cleared, but Smart retrieves and feeds it to Stow who fires it and forces a diving save by the Poole keeper who pushes it out for a corner. The corner is sent over the back and Bayliss has to retrieve it and after a quick one-two with Smart the ball is sent back in the box, but the ball is well cleared.
On 39 minutes and we have a strong shout for a penalty as Atkinson gets knocked over, but the ref waves it away.
Then on 41 minutes Poole go two-up as an attack down our right and the ball is passed inside to a wide-open forward who slots it past a helpless McGill.
Then there are more delays as another Poole forward has gone down with a leg-injury. The game is stopped for a few minutes as he is stretchered off.
The game gets back underway and now in deep into injury-time another Poole player falls awkwardly on the ground and the game is again stopped. The referee decide to blow the half-time whistle to allow more time for the Poole player to be treated. After a few minutes although looking pretty groggy, he is able to walk off the pitch. Both players are replaced at half-time.
The second-half gets underway, and Martin Kuhl has decided to make two changes to try and change the game. Shane Hollamby has replaced Sam Smart and Reece Rusher makes his debut for the club and replaces Harry Pearse.
On 51 minutes we have a little bit of play as we break into their half a shot from Rusher is initially blocked away, but the ball is sent back in the box, the first header is blocked away and then another cross by Deadfield forces a save from the keeper after the ball hits a Poole defender and rebounds towards the goal.
On 55 mins Poole create another chance as they break down our right, some good work allows the Poole forward to have a shot on goal, who drags five yards wide of the far post.
Then on 59 mins, some work sends the ball through to Rusher who superbly slots it past the keeper and Stoke are back in it GOAL Poole Town 2 – 1 Basingstoke Town
The game has livened up, but it’s Poole on 66 mins, who have a great chance to add to their lead as they again break down the right and the ball is fed to a wide-open Poole forward who this time skies it and the ball flies out the ground.
More attempted playing out from the back, almost creates another chance for Poole as McGill is forced into clearing the ball with his feet.
Then on 72 mins, what seems an innocuous through ball finds Argent who clips the ball over the on-rushing keepers head and into the net GOAL!! Poole Town 2 – 2 Basingstoke Town
Somehow we have fought back and a lot of our attacks are coming down our right where a more advanced Dean Stow and Rusher are linking up well.
Good work from Deadfield and Atkinson who win tackles in midfield and send Rusher down the right, but the ball is defended well and Poole clear.
Then following another attack on 79 minutes, Poole are in our box and on the byline, where we refuse to put it out for a corner, the Poole forward takes the ball back a couple of yards and starts his attack again, this time he sends in a low cross and it is well met by a Poole player who smashes it into the bottom corner of the goal, with McGill having no-chance and we are again trailing 3-2.
The next few minutes seem to drift away quietly, this is not helped by us still attempting to play the ball out the back.
Poole have one final half-chance on 88 mins, as they break down our left, the ball is fed to a Poole player who looks to shoot, touches the ball inside then hits one, but the ball is well blocked by Wakely’s out-stretched leg.
We make our final substitution on 90 mins as Ben Wright replaces Yvan Jourdan.
The game is now into four minutes of added time, but more playing out from the back seems to waste valuable seconds and creates nothing as we still have to thump the ball upfield anyway. The Basingstoke fans behind the goal and down the side are far from happy with this.
Anyway time is up and the ref blows the final whistle and ends another chance for Stoke to secure safety.
Final Score: Poole Town 3 – 2 Basingstoke Town
Neither team played that well on the day, as the game was interrupted by a number of injuries, two which were serious for Poole players.
We fought back well in the second-half well, but don’t think we created much more in chances after we equalised.
A good debut from Rusher, gives us hope for the future and it was good to see Hollamby back playing.
With Gosport’s home loss, next weeks match at home to Frome is now a must-win scenario.
Match Report by Martin French..
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