The Isuzu FA Trophy 1st Round – Saturday 28th October 2023
Swindon Supermarine 0 v 3 Basingstoke Town Attendance 251
Where: Webbswood Stadium, Supermarine Road, Swindon, Wilts. SN3 4BZ
Dan Brownlie’s squad saw a number of new additions and the starting line-up saw the return of Shane Hollamby: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. D’Andre Brown, 3. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 4. Michael Atkinson (Capt), 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Shane Hollamby, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. James Clark, 9. Liam Ferdinand, 10. Stefan Brown, 11. Dan Rowe,
On the bench: Josh De Lacey-Turner, Aleks Kokoska, Jake Impiazzi, Harvey Collins, Joel Halliday & Jon Boardman
Referee – Antony Smith
Our second game in the FA Trophy got underway with what can only be described as the calm before the storm, with Stoke attacking the small covered terrace end.
Bradley Wilson & Liam Ferdinand combine nicely to allow Ferdinand to get a shot away, but the ball is blocked into the air and straight into the keeper’s hands.
Stoke still have the early initiative, as they push down both flanks, but the homeside are keeping us at bay for the moment.
Another neat move allows Dan Rowe to break into the penalty area, and clip the ball over the oncoming keeper, only for a defender to somehow clip it off the line and out for a corner. The corner comes across and the ball finds a Stoke player just inside the penalty area, and his shot is flying wide until it hits Nathan Smart, and it flies past the keeper into the net. GOAL! Swindon Supermarine 0 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Smart 10 mins)
Further attacks down the left through Wilson are cleared away, then we lose the ball and Swindon attack, and a last ditch tackle saves the day. We then break again after Shane Hollamby finds Wilson who takes the ball into the Supermarine penalty area, and let’s fly a shot that has the keeper beaten, but the ball bounces off the far post and the homeside bundle it out for a corner. The kick is initially cleared but straight back to D’Andre Brown close to the byline, who crosses the ball across the goal-line to where the Marine keeper, initially picks the ball up, only to then drop it and the ball appears to have rolled over the line, and after a few seconds off the referee checking with the linesman, he awards the goal. GOAL!! Swindon Supermarine 0 – 2 Basingstoke Town (Brann OG 16 mins)
The next few minutes has Marine trying to get back into the game, through their tricky little left winger they have, but good tackles by D’Andre playing in a right-back role, and then a save down low by Paul Strudley keeps them at out.
Good work by Ferdinand & Stefan Brown who link up well just outside the box allows Stefan who could shoot, slides the ball across the goalmouth and Marine are able to kick the ball clear.
Supermarine have a little more possession but further good tackles by Hollamby and then Smart, put a stop to anything.
Then just past the half-hour, a neat move allows Wilson, to put a shot on the keeper, who makes the save.
Another attack by Stoke wins a corner, which Wilson takes and it is initially cleared, out and the following kick hits a Marine defender where no man wants to take it, and there’s a minute stoppage while he recovers.
Marine have another attack, but it’s Hollamby to the rescue again.
The rain which started a few minutes ago, has slightly intensified, as we move into the last couple of minutes before the break.
We then break away into the Marine half, and the ball is slid through to Wilson, who slides the ball past the keeper into the net, but the linesman’s flag is up and the goal won’t count.
There’s a couple more minutes of play and Marine have one more attack but calls for a penalty are waived away, as the referee awards a goal-kick.
The referee then blows the halftime whistle, and the travelling Stoke fans are happy with that first-half performance.
Halftime Score: Swindon Supermarine 0 v 2 Basingstoke Town
The second-half gets underway with the rain coming down even harder and Stoke attacking the open end, and another neat passing move by Dan Rowe & D’Andre down the right, ends when the ball is fed to Michael Atkinson who hits a shot through the Marine defenders, only for their keeper to make the save.
The falling rain then picks up another notch, and from an attack on the right, the cross finds a Marine player who appears to head the ball over the overline, only for the ball to then be kicked clear. The Marine goal-scoring music starts to play, but the referee has somehow not awarded the goal.
From the clearance a heavy tackle on the halfway line on a Stoke forward, sees the Marine player go in the book.
The free-kick is pushed down the right, and Atkinson then slips to Ferdinand just inside the box, and he turns his marker, then fires a low left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net, leaving the keeper no chance. GOAL!!! Swindon Supermarine 0 – 3 Basingstoke Town (Ferdinand 51 mins)
Stoke continue to be the dominant side, and another passing move finds James Clark whose shot flies wide of the left-hand post.
It’s now torrential rain, as a small Stoke contingent behind the goal are getting drenched.
Atkinson makes a fine tackle inside our own penalty area from the next Marine attack.
Good work from Wilson down the left forces a corner, which Marine clear.
Marine create another chance down the right and the cross flies across the face of the goal, with no-one getting a touch to it.
Hollamby makes a good tackle, and he has taken a knock but he will continue for the moment. However a minute later he becomes our first change of the game, as he is replaced by Josh De Lacey-Turner (66 mins).
Another Stoke attack has Wilson who smashes a shot against the bar and the Ferdinand follow-up is blocked over the bar.
Another Marine attack this time from the left is wasted as no-one gets a touch to the cross.
James Clark makes a timely tackle inside our penalty area.
There is now a deluge over the ground, and the ground has so far held up to the rain, and we are lucky this rain was not earlier in the day.
Just ten minutes left and Marine continue to try and get back in the game, but another nice interception from Atkinson, then sets Ferdinand away, and it takes three defenders to put a stop to him.
Stoke make their second-change of the game with Stefan Brown replaced by Harvey Collins.
Just a few minutes remain as there is now noticeable surface water on the pitch, and we attack through D’Andre who is initially stopped, then retrieves the ball and finds Ferdinand, whose shot is well-saved by the Marine keeper down low.
Rowe, may have picked up a knock, and is replaced by Aleks Kokoska, as we move into added-time.
We then break through Ferdinand who slips the ball to Wilson, who cuts inside the penalty area, but his shot is dragged just wide of the left-hand post.
Another Marine, attack forces a save out of Strudley who pushes the ball out for a corner. The kick is poor and the referee blows the final whistle.
Final Score: Swindon Supermarine 0 v 3 Basingstoke Town
Smart 10 mins, Brann OG 16 mins, Ferdinand 51 mins
Match Thought’s
A strong solid performance by the whole team, helped by two early bizarre goals, helps us progress in the FA Trophy, and hopefully a decent draw on Monday would help. Some good defensive tackles by a number of Stoke players kept Supermarine at bay, whilst Liam Ferdinand’s first goal was just part of a good all-round performance alongside Stefan Brown and Bradley Wilson.
A good if not also a wet day for a big Stoke travelling contingent, and thanks should go to the Supermarine groundsman for having a pitch that could take that deluge of rain.
Up Next:
Well we switch from one cup to another cup, as we take-on Alresford Town, this time in the North-Hants Cup at Winklebury this Tuesday evening
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
Thanks for the report as always.
Good to see the team progress. Chippenham next.