Southern League Premier South – Saturday 1st March 2025
Tiverton Town 0 v 5 Basingstoke Town Attendance 326
Where: Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium, Tiverton Devon EX16 6SG
With a number of enforced changes Manager Dan Brownlie went with a starting line-up of: 1. Mack Allan, 2. Lewis Colwell, 3. Marcus Johnson-Schuster, 4. Jack Ball, 5.James Clark, 6. Scott Armsworth (Capt), 7. George Reid, 8. James Dickson, 9.Liam Ferdinand, 10. Ben Cook, 11. Sam Deadfield
On the bench: Robbie Gallagher, Jayden Brissett, Pele Koulsseoue & Harry Bowden
Referee – Dan Frizzell
In what represented a field, more use to grazing sheep on, this important battle against two teams in the bottom half of the table got underway, with the homeside winning a couple of corners in the opening minutes, it was Stoke who then opened the scoring, after Lewis Colwell’s run down the left, saw him win a free-kick. The kick, which Sam Deadfield swung over was met by Liam Ferdinand’s powerful header, that left the Tiverton keeper motionless as the ball hit back of the net GOAL! Tiverton Town 0 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Ferdinand 4 mins)
Stoke continued to push forward, not helped by a bumpy pitch that was doing more than Tiverton’s defenders to prevent us from adding a second goal.
It was however not to last, as another cross from the left, was met by Ben Cook’s first-time shot, finding the back of the net from eight yards out, after the ball glanced in off the inside of the right-hand post GOAL!! Tiverton Town 0 – 2 Basingstoke Town (Cook 14 mins)
Tiverton’s response was a long-range shot that our new young keeper Mack Allan, comfortably held.
Stoke were then to make it three, as from another Sam Deadfield free-kick, this time from the right, was met by Scott Armsworth’s flicked header, that found the back of the net. GOAL!!! Tiverton Town 0 – 3 Basingstoke Town (Armsworth 18 mins)
Three down and looking shell-shocked, Tiverton made two changes to try and get back into the game, and a shot from the right, flew five yards wide of the left-hand post.
Stoke continued to be the team on top, as Deadfield, Cook & Dickson were winning all the midfield battles, and calls for a penalty were waived away, as George Reid appeared to get pulled back, just as he looked to shoot, just inside the box.
Stoke came close to adding a fourth, when Cook was open on the left, and his cross found Ferdinand, who took a second, before turning and shooting, which the keeper palmed away before picking up the loose ball.
Stoke’s fourth and Ferdinand’s second goal was to come, on the stroke of halftime, as his header from Colwell’s cross flew into the far-right corner of the net GOAL!!!! Tiverton Town 0 – 4 Basingstoke Town (Ferdinand 45 mins)
Stoke went into the break with an unimaginable four-goal lead.
Half-time Score: Tiverton Town 0 v 4 Basingstoke Town
With the warm sun in the Stoke fans eyes behind the Tiverton goal, Stoke continued to press forward seeking further goals, and after an initial attack by Cook was halted, we won a corner on the left, which was initially cleared, but straight to Cook twenty-yards out, and he instinctively volleyed his shot into the right-hand corner of the net. GOAL!!!!! Tiverton Town 0 – 5 Basingstoke Town (Cook 48 mins)
Minutes later a curling shot from Deadfield flew inches past the left-hand post.
Tiverton’s defence continued to be pulled from side-to-side as Stoke looked for a sixth, as two attacks saw Tiverton defenders hoof the ball clear.
Tiverton just past the hour-mark, had two good attacks, but both were saved by the Stoke keeper.
Stoke were then to make its first change of the game as Pele Koulsseoue replaced George Reid (62 mins).
Stoke continued to push forward and a shot from Ferdinand was blocked away by a Tiverton defender, and we then made our second change as Robbie Gallagher replaced Ben Cook (68 mins).
Tiverton had a little more possession, but our back five had them under control, as Stoke continued to control the midfield.
Inside the last ten minutes of the game, we made our third change as Harry Bowden replaced, James Clark (82 mins).
Robbie Gallagher then set-up Markus Johnson-Schuster, as he beat his defender on the left, but Markus failed to make a connection, to Robbie’s low pass.
With a minute before the ninety minutes was up, Stoke made it’s fourth change, as Jayden Brissett replaced or captain for the day Scott Armsworth (89 mins).
The referee confirmed that there would be four added-minutes, which were played out without incident, and Stoke left Devon with the three points, and a comprehensive five-goal thumping of Tiverton.
Full-time Score: Tiverton Town 0 v 5 Basingstoke Town
Ferdinand 8 & 45 mins, Cook 14 & 48 mins, Armsworth 18 mins,
Match Thought’s
Without doubt one of the most impressive displays by a Stoke side this season, on a pitch that did it’s best, to stop any form of flowing football. Ben Cook & Sam Deadfield were excellent in midfield, and James Dickson mopped up anything that Sam & Ben did not. Ben’s two goal brace and Sam’s precision free-kicks made Tiverton pay every time. Three goals from headers a very rare occurrence, and a strong all-round performance was very much appreciated by the travelling Stoke fans yesterday.
We still sit in fourteenth place, but the mood in the squad will be a lot better this week in training for next Saturday’s visit from Chertsey.
Up Next:
We host eighteenth place Chertsey Town next Saturday 8th at Winklebury.
Match Report by Martin French..
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