Match Report: Thatcham Town 2 – 3 Basingstoke Town Monday 30th August 2021

Isthmian South Central Division – 30th August 2021
Thatcham Town 2 v 3 Basingstoke Town Attendance 451
Where: Waterside Park, Crookham Hill, Thatcham, Berkshire. RG19 4PA
Stoke’s first half goals enough to put Stoke top of the table

Basingstoke Town went into this Bank Holiday match with a starting line-up of: 1. Paul Strudley, 2. Aiden Lewis, 3. Adam Everiss, 4. D’Andre Brown, 5. Scott Armsworth, 6. Shaun Dallimore, 7. McKoy Palmer, 8. Ben Cook (Capt) 9. Conor Lynch, 10. Bradley Wilson, 11. Lloyd Snell ,
On the bench: Simon Dunn, Hugo Staunton, Kial Mumford, Daniel Williamson,

Referee – H Scott

A Bank Holiday bumper crowd buoyed by a large Basingstoke Town following, was present to watch this clash, and the game got underway with the homeside on the attack in the second minute and the ball ends up in the net, but the linesman has flagged for offside.
On five minutes the ball is clipped over the back of the Thatcham back four, and Conor Lynch clips the ball over the keeper’s head with the ball going towards the goal, a Thatcham defender mis-kicks his clearance and the ball rolls just wide of the far post for a corner. The corner kick is comfortably cleared.

It is Stoke who has the more attacking side, but the Kingfishers are able to deal with our front-line at the moment.
Then on 12 minutes we win the ball and a through ball finds Lloyd Snell just outside the left-hand side of the penalty area, and he takes it inside the box he slides the ball across the face of the goal, where Bradley Wilson taps it home past the Thatcham keeper. GOAL ! Thatcham Town 0 – 1 Basingstoke 1 (12 mins)

After a Thatcham break down the left a tackle on the by-line leads to Adam Everiss going in the referee’s book.
Then on 18 minutes, the homeside draw level after an attack down the right, and the cross is met by the Thatcham forward who heads the ball into the net.
The referee evens up the yellow card as the big Thatcham centre-back goes in the book.

It is Stoke who then retake the lead on 23 minutes after a cross on the right-hand side of the penalty area to the far post is headed back across the penalty area by Shaun Dallimore to Ben Cook who looks to shoot but then slides the ball to Lloyd Snell who curls a right-footed shot past the keeper into the corner of the net. GOAL !! Thatcham Town 1 – 2 Basingstoke 1 (23 mins)

Just past the half-hour, Thatcham look to equalise but a shot is cleared off our own goal-line.
It is still Stoke who are edging the possession and a cross from the left-hand side finds Snell whose free header is comfortably saved by ex-Stoke keeper Chris Rackley in the Thatcham goal.

Ben Cook is the start of a number of breaks, but Thatcham are able to thwart each one at the moment.
We then win a corner down the right after good work by Snell. It is Cook again who finds Wilson who comes short for him, he appears to have time to turn on the ball, but decides to slot the ball back to Cook whose cross finds Shaun Dallimore who leaps above the Thatcham defence and powerfully heads into the corner of the net. GOAL !!! Thatcham Town 1 – 3 Basingstoke 1 (39 mins)

Thatcham are back on the attack but a cross from the right-hand side flies past the face of the goal.
The next Stoke attack on 43 mins has Snell who breaks away, his initial shot is blocked and as he looks to cross the ball, that is also blocked again.
The referee appears to play four minutes of injury-time before he call a halt to the first-half.

Halftime Thatcham Town 1 – 3 Basingstoke Town
The game gets back underway, and both teams produce nothing of note for the first few minutes, until what appears a tackle outside the box is given as a penalty. However Strudley guesses the right way and he dives to the left and pushes the shot away, which we are able to put out for a corner.

Stoke have the next few minutes, but a cross by Lynch has the keeper who palms the ball away before Wilson gets to it.
The second Stoke player Snell goes in the book after the referee books him for going down looking for a penalty. A minute later It is Wilson’s turn to go in the book.

The referee has awarded another penalty to Thatcham. It is Strudley who again makes the save, but the rebound is followed by the penalty taker who slots it into the net Thatcham 2 – 3 Basingstoke.
Stoke make their first change on 69 minutes with Kial Mumford making his Stoke debut as he replaces McKoy Palmer.

Two Thatcham players go in the book in the space of a few minutes.
Heading into the last 15 minutes and Stoke have produced anything of note this half.
Adam Everiss is the second change, who is replaced by Daniel Williamson.

On 79 minutes we break down the right and a cross by Snell gets to Wilson at the far post who slots it to Wilson, but his left shot flies wide of the left-hand post.
The homeside continue to press and clearances by Armsworth and Dallimore keep them at bay.
Another Thatcham break is stopped after a timely tackle by Lewis.

We head into injury-time, and we look comfortable in possession, but the referee still has time to book D’Andre Brown then a couple of minutes later Shaun Dallimore.
The Stoke crowd are now amazed on where the referee is finding all this injury-time as we head into the 97th minute, but after yet another clearance by Stoke, he finally blows the full-time whistle.

Final Score: Thatcham Town 2 – 3 Basingstoke Town
Ceesay 23 mins                               Wilson 12 mins Snell 23 mins
Harry 65 mins                                  Dallimore 39 mins

Match Thought’s
A much changed Stoke side impressed in front of goal in the first half, and some resolute defending and strong performance in goal by Paul Strudley is enough to see off a Thatcham side and our third straight win puts us top of the table and the only team remaining in the division with a 100% record.
Up Next:
We take a break from the league as we host Bridgwater Utd this coming Saturday in the FA Cup.

Match Report by Martin French..