Southern League Premier South – Saturday 27th December 2025
Sholing 1 vs 4 Basingstoke Town Attendance 585
Where: The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, Portsmouth Road, Southampton, SO19 9PW
Manager Dan Brownlie went with a line-up of: 1. Simon Grant, 2. James Clark, 3. Joe O’Loughlin, 4. Rudy Allen, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Thomas Blake, 8. D’Andre Brown, 9. Robbie Gallagher, 10. Joe Barough, 11. George Reid
On the bench: 12.Ben Cook, 14.Dan Rowe, 15.Connor Barratt, 16. Elliott Legg, 17. Conor Whiteley
Referee – Jacob Wright
Our last game of 2025, saw us head to the south coast to take on sixth-placed Sholing, and the game got underway with a cold wind blowing across the pitch, Sholing won an early free-kick directly in front of our goal, but the kick was deflected out for a corner.
Two minutes later we won a penalty as George Reid gets pulled down, and James Clark stepped up and made no mistake GOAL! Sholing 0 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Clark 5 mins Pen)
Stoke created the next attack, but Gallagher’s flicked header from George Reid’s cross flies wide of the goal.
Sholing then won two corners, but Stoke defended them well.
Stoke continued to push forward using Reid & Gallagher on the left, and it was from Gallaghers run who found new-signing Joe Barough, whose shot was saved by the Sholing keepers outstretched leg.
Calls for a penalty are waived away as George Reid appeared to get pulled down, but the referee books Reid for a supposed dive.
It was still Stoke who looked to add to their lead, but Sholing broke and Joe O’Loughlin made a fine block to keep them out.
Stoke’s continued pressure then finally counted, as good work Reid then found Tom Blake who cut along the byline, before sending a low cross to an open Gallagher who taps the ball into the net GOAL!! Sholing 0 – 2 Basingstoke Town (Gallagher 28 mins)
Joe Barough was to have the next chance, after a neat passing move attack, found him in space, but his shot was saved by the keeper.
Sholing then two minutes play around our penalty area, but failed to trouble Grant in goal.
With five minutes to the break, calls for another Stoke penalty were waived away, and a minute later Sholing were awarded a penalty down the other end, which was put away. Sholing 1-2 Basingstoke
Deep into added-time Stoke were to regain their two-goal advantage, as a free-kick from Blake was headed home by Billy Upton GOAL!!! Sholing 1 – 3 Basingstoke Town (Upton 45+5 mins)
A minute later the referee called a halt to the first-half and a stunning first-half performance by Stoke.
Halftime Score: Sholing 1 vs 3 Basingstoke Town
It was Sholing who created the first chance of the second-half, but fortunately their forward who should have done better headed wide.
D’Andre Brown, then volleyed a shot from the edge of the penalty area, that looked like it was going in, until a last second dive by the keeper, who made the save.
Sholing created the next attack ten minutes in, but Grant made the save down low.
Sholing continued to press, but Stoke behind Rudy Allen were holding firm.
Twenty minutes in, Stoke won a free-kick on the right, which was met by Upton whose header found its way through two defenders, and then rebounded off the post, back out to Reid, who made no mistake and stuck it a way GOAL!!!! Sholing 1 – 4 Basingstoke Town (Reid 66 mins)
Two minutes later, good work by Barough saw him beat two defenders, as he entered the penalty area, but his shot was blocked away.
Stoke made its first change of the day as George Reid was replaced by Dan Rowe (73 mins).
Very little goal-mouth action over the next few minutes, apart from Simon Grant racing out of his penalty, and making a sliding clearance, putting the ball out for a throw-in.
It was time for our second change, as Joe Barough was replaced by Connor Barrett (84 mins).
Sholing came close to getting their second with three minutes left, but good defensive work close to the goal-line, keeps the ball out.
With the game well and truly done, Stoke made a triple substitution, as Ben Cook replaced D’Andre Brown, Conor Whiteley replaced Robbie Gallagher, and Elliott Legg replaced Tom Blake (89 mins).
Very little to note in the six minutes of added-time, apart from a Stoke header over the bar, and Stoke win back-to back games
Fulltime Score: Sholing 1 vs 4 Basingstoke Town
Folivi 42 min (Pen), Clark 5 mins (Pen), Gallagher 28 mins, Upton 45+5, Reid 66 mins,
Match Thought’s
Many fans of a large Stoke representation at the game, felt that was our best performance of the season, and was well deserved as from the outset we attacked them with pace via George Reid & Robbie Gallagher, which they simply could not handle. The return of Tom Blake alongwith Rudy Allen in the middle controlled the game for large parts, and loan-signing Joe Barough made a good debut as well. A good all-round performance by the team, will be most pleasing for our Manager Dan Brownlie, and we move upto thirteenth, but more importantly six points above the relegation places.
Up Next:
On Saturday we host so-called rivals Bracknell Town in our first game of 2026 (3rd) KO 3pm
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
Thought we looked strong from the first minute of the game. Great to see Tom Blake back.