Match Report: Sutton Common Rovers 1 – 5 Basingstoke Town Saturday 20th November 2021

Isthmian South Central Division – 20th November 2021
Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 5 Basingstoke Town     Attendance 97
Where: The Borough Sports Ground, Gander Green Lane, Sutton SM1 2EY
Stoke hit five against nine-man Rovers!

The late signing of defender Robert Sheridan saw today’s line-up as: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Aiden Lewis, 3. James Haworth, 4. Bradley Wilson, 5. Robert Sheridan, 6. Daryl Wollers, 7. George Reid, 8. Matt Rodgers, 9. McKoy Palmer, 10 Ben Cook, 11. Simon Dunn (Capt)
On the bench: Jack French, Daniel Williamson, D’Andre Brown, Lloyd Snell & Nathan Smart
Referee – Nick Blogg

The game got underway with the Stoke travelling fans swelling the crowd at Gander Green Lane and on the fourth minute, the make-shift Rovers keeper made a superb save, pushing a shot out for a corner. From the short-corner we work the ball about but creates a shot from 12 yards, that hits the post a few seconds late, but Rovers are able to clear and they break downfield on the left, and the Rovers attacker cuts inside and let’s fly a shot that finds the back of the net and Stoke go behind (1-0).

Stoke are back on it and a good pass sends Bradley Wilson away, but gets pulled down by the Rovers No. 6 who is immediately shown a red-card by the referee, and Rovers are reduced to ten-men.
Stoke continue to press over the next few minutes but are unable to put any real pressure on the Rovers goal.
Another chance on 18 minutes, as Ben Cook & McKoy Palmer break down the left, but the shot by Palmer flies past the far post.

Then on 25mins we attack again, and the ball is slid through to Wilson and as he enters the penalty area, he slams home a left foot shot into the far corner of the net GOAL ! Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town (Wilson 25 mins)

Stoke continue to push forward with the man advantage and their keeper makes a save from a free-kick from Wilson about 25yards out.
Rovers are then reduced to nine-men as a hefty tackle on a Stoke player just over the halfway line sees the referee show another a straight red-card, this time to their No.8.

Further Stoke pressure and a good passing move sends Cook through who clips the ball over the oncoming keeper and as the ball looks to go over the line, a Rovers defender hooks the ball away.
We then attack again a minute later and Reid & Dunn work a shot for Reid, that the keeper pushes away for a corner. Nothing comes from the corner

More Stoke pressure, but Rovers are able to hold out.

Then as the halftime whistle is approaching Reid switches play from the left to the right as he crosses the ball to Wilson, who smashes a volley from the edge of the box and the ball flies into the top left-hand corner of the net GOAL !! Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 2 Basingstoke Town (Wilson 45 mins)
A worldy goal is the last action of the half as the referee blows the halftime whistle, seconds late.

Halftime Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 2 Basingstoke Town
Stoke make no changes at halftime and the game gets back underway and Stoke are back on it and some neat work on the edge of the box allows Wilson to shoot, but somehow the keeper pulls out the first of many saves in the second-half. We then a minute later break again down the left. The initial cross is blocked, but the ball falls to Wilson, whose shot is blocked away once more.

We then attack down the left through James Haworth, who sends an inch-perfect cross, that Wilson is first too, and he slides it past the keeper into the net and we double our lead GOAL !!! Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 3 Basingstoke Town (Wilson 51 mins)

That’s Wilson’s hat-trick, but we push forward straight away as the Rovers players are under constant pressure from further attacks from Reid & Palmer down the left.

Another Rovers player goes in the book for another tackle, and we then should have our fourth as the keeper makes another good save.
It’s time for our first change as Simon Dunn is replaced by D’Andre Brown (60 mins).

The keeper pulls out another save as a lovely passing move between D’Andre & Wilson, allows Palmer to shoot from 10yds away.
Another attack forces another Stoke corner, and the initial kick is cleared away, but good work from D’Andre as he finds Anton Rodgers who neatly finds the bottom left hand corner of the net GOAL !!!! Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 4 Basingstoke Town (Rodgers 64 mins)

We make our second change a minute later with Lloyd Snell replacing McKoy Palmer.
Rovers have the next attack, as they break down the left and a neat cross is cleared away by Daryl Wollers.

Somehow Wilson hasn’t got his fourth of the game as a neat cross from D’Andre finds him three yards out but the keeper somehow gets his body in front of the shot and it rolls away.
Our next attack has our next goal, as the ball is slid across to a wide-open Lloyd Snell, who races towards the edge of the penalty area and sends a right-foot shot past the keeper into the net. GOAL !!!!! Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 5 Basingstoke Town (Snell 72 mins)

That was a lovely finish by Snell who is back on it a minute later as he finds Wilson again who forces yet another save from the keeper.
We then make our final change on 74 mins, as Jack French replaces Ben Cook.

How it’s not six I don’t know as on 81 mins further good work from Reid who beats the keeper, but it hits the far post, and flies out to Wilson, who somehow hits the crossbar from four yards and the ball flies away.

We’re in the final minutes of the game and Rovers have another attack, but the ball is blocked and passed out the back, and D’Andre finds Snell on the right, who again out races his defender and sends over a lovely cross that just needs a touch as it rolls across the face of the goal.
The referee has seen enough and he calls time on the game and Stoke are back to winning ways.

Final Score: Sutton Common Rovers 1 v 5 Basingstoke Town
Efambe 6 mins                                             Wilson 25, 45 & 51 mins
Rodgers 64 mins, Snell 72 mins

Match Thought’s
Good to see Wilson upfront and his first hat-trick of the season, but would the game have been different, but for the red cards?
Their makeshift keeper Aaron Bogle should also get a mention, who made some outstanding saves to keep it just at five.
Also good to see Anton Rodgers get on the teamsheet with a neat finish.
The three points was the most important factor as we stay in the playoff places.
Up Next:
Well our next league game sees us back on the road once more at North-West London side, and fourth-placed Bedfont Sports next Saturday (27th).

Match Report by Martin French..