Match Report: Rematch: Basingstoke Town 1-1 (5-4 Pens) Dorchester Town – FA Trophy – Tuesday 28th October 2025

REMATCH
FA Trophy 1st Round Proper – Tuesday 28th October 2025
Basingstoke Town 1 vs 1 (5-4 Pens) Dorchester Town Attendance 356
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for this FA Trophy rematch was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Joe O’Loughlin, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Jack Ball, 6. James Clark, 7. D’Andre Brown, 8. Ben Cook (Capt), 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. George Reid, 11. James Dickson,
On the bench: 12. Bradley Wilson, 14. Elliott Legg, 15. Dara Dada, 16. Connor Barratt & 17. Billy Upton
Referee – TBC

The game off to a slow start, and we won a corner on the right, which was cleared to D’Andre Brown , who took a couple of steps, before hitting a shot comfortably over the bar.

Stoke came close to taking the lead with their next attack, as Brown, found Ben Cook, who neatly found Joe O’Loughlin on the left who shot as he entered the penalty area, and the ball flashed off the post and away.
Twenty minutes in and there’s very little action, although Dorchester are starting to have more possession.

Scott Armsworth then went in the book for a retaliatory foul, after the referee failed to spot the initial foul on him.
The crowd were still waiting for this game to really get going, with ten minutes to the break, as Liam Ferdinand broke into Dorchester’s penalty area, but his shot was kicked away by the keeper, but the referee then blows up, assumingly for a foul.

Still very little action to note, as Simon Grant has had little to do in the Stoke goal.
Stoke in the final minute of normal time, saw Markus Johnson-Schuster have a shot that dipped over the bar, and a minute later we went into the half-time break, with both teams having lots to improve in the second-half.

Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 0 Dorchester Town
With no changes by Stoke at the break, it was again a slow start, but an error by Dorchester allowed Brown to pick up the loose ball, but his right-foot shot rolled past the left-hand post.

Finally the deadlock is broken, as Ferdinand found space and planted his shot in the bottom corner of the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 0 Dorchester Town (Ferdinand 58 mins)

Stoke had a little more possession, but failed to trouble the Dorchester keeper, and it was time for Stoke’s first change of the evening, as George Reid was replaced by Bradley Wilson (70 mins).
Three minutes later James Dickson appeared to have picked up a knock, and was replaced Dara Dada (73 mins).
Now in the final ten minutes, we are comfortably holding Dorchester, who have produced very little.

With four minutes remaining, Dorchester won a corner on the right, which saw Grant, push away, but it fell to a Dorchester player who found the back of the net, and we are somehow back level. Basingstoke 1-1 Dorchester

Stoke then attacked once more before the ninety minutes were up, as Dada found Brown, who took the ball to the byline, then appeared to shoot, but passed the ball across the penalty area to Wilson, who couldn’t get foot round his shot and it flew wide.

Six minutes of added-time have been confirmed by the referee, and we make our third change as Ben Cook was replaced by Connor Barratt (92 mins).
Grant made a save down low three minutes in.

A challenge near the halfway-line, saw Scott Armsworth receive a second yellow card, and he was off and down the tunnel.

Stoke had one more attack through Dada, but his shot found the keeper’s leg, and the ball was cleared, and that was it, as we head to penalties.

Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Dorchester Town
Ferdinand 58 mins,                                     Haste 86 mins,
PENS
Dorchester 1 – 0, Basingstoke – Clark converts 1 – 1
Dorchester 2 – 1, Basingstoke – Wilson converts 2 – 2
Dorchester 3 – 2, Basingstoke – Brown converts 3 – 3
Dorchester 4 – 3, Basingstoke – Ferdinand converts 4 – 4
Dorchester 5 – 4, Basingstoke – Barratt shot is saved
Dorchester Win 5 – 4 on Pens and head to Dover Athletic

Match Thought’s
Anyone present last night, saw a pretty average game, which we appeared to have under control, until once more we conceded in the last few minutes of the game.
Penalties can go either way, and like may penalty shoot-outs we fail to win them. Our adventure in FA Cup competitions are over once again in October.
Scott Armsworth will be available for Saturday’s Farnham game, and hopefully Billy Upton will be back too.
Up Next:
We have back-to-back home games newly promoted Farnham Town this Saturday, followed by Berkhamsted next Saturday (8th).

Match Report by Martin French..