Match Report: Walton & Hersham 1 – 1 Basingstoke Town – Saturday 29th March 2025

Southern League Premier South – Saturday 29th March 2025
Walton & Hersham 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town Attendance 1,022
Where: Elmbridge Xcel Centre, Waterside Drive, Walton-On-Thames, Surrey. KT12 2JP
Basingstoke’s Management made a number of enforced changes for the game against promotion chasers Walton: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Scott Armsworth, 4. Jack Ball, 5. Billy Upton (Capt), 6. Josh Green, 7. George Reid, 8. Malachi Ogunleye, 9.Liam Ferdinand, 10. Robbie Gallagher, 11. Lewis Colwell
On the bench: Jayden Brissett, James Clark, Connor Barratt, Jack Timberlake & D’Andre Brown
Referee – Roger Ablitt

It was Stoke who took the initiative in the opening minutes, and George Reid hit the crossbar, with the keeper beaten from a free-kick, that Robbie Gallagher was dragged down outside the penalty area.
Stoke continued to be the team on top with Reid shooting over the bar from twenty-five yards out.

Walton have showed very little as we hit the half-hour mark, as Stoke’s new players Josh Green & Malachi Ogunleye, have more than matched Walton’s midfielders.

On the verge of halftime there were calls for a red card, as a Walton player elbowed Scott Armsworth in the head, as Walton were about to take a corner, but it appeared both the linesman and referee appear to have missed it or ignored it.
We went into the break more than happy with our first-half performance, but unable to break

Half-time Score: Walton & Hersham 0 v 0 Basingstoke Town
The second-half got underway in much of the same fashion, as Stoke created the next shot on goal, as Lewis Colwell found space, but his shot was comfortably held by the keeper.

Stoke were to create the next chance, as Reid took the ball past two Walton defenders and cut in from the byline, but his right-foot shot was blocked to Jack Ball, who found Ogunleye whose shot was blocked out for a corner.

Stoke were to finally get some reward from their good player, as a long ball from Walton’s keeper his met by Billy Upton’s head and he found Ogunleye, whose pass split the Walton backline allowing Reid to slip the ball past the outcoming keeper, and he clipped the ball into an open net from two yards out. GOAL! Walton & Hersham 0 – 1 Basingstoke Town (Reid 59 mins)

Walton who had been poor to this point, then started to push forward, but Scott Armsworth came to our rescue, with an impeccable timed tackle.

Stoke then made it’s first change of the afternoon, as George Reid was replaced by Jayden Brissett (70 mins).

Walton continued to put nothing of note on the Stoke goal, as a shot from outside the box flew out the ground.

Stoke continued to battle for every ball and calls for the referee to get his cards out, were ignored after a number of tackles, warranted action from the referee.
Stoke then made its second change as Josh Green who had produced a strong debut for the club was replaced by the returning D’Andre Brown (83 mins).

With five minutes of normal time remaining, Walton levelled the scoring, as from a cross from the left, saw a Walton forward head home at the far post. Walton 1-1 Basingstoke

From the restart, we nearly retook the lead as Jack Ball won a corner after taking the ball sixty yards, winning the corner on the left. The kick by Brown was met by Armsworth, who headed inches wide of the near post.

Stoke made their third change as Liam Ferdinand was replaced by James Clark (88 mins).
Stoke played out five minutes of added-time and we head back to Hampshire with a well-earned point.

Full-time Score: Walton & Hersham 1 v 1 Basingstoke Town
Horan 85 mins,                                        Reid 59 mins,

Match Thought’s
In much need of a Basingstoke performance, and with Manager Dan Brownlie sitting in the stands, Assistant Manager Aaron Nicholson, could not have asked for a much-bigger effort than the one the Stoke players produced today, as to a man they outplayed and dominated a team sitting thirteen places above them in the table. Superb debuts for Josh Green & Malachi Ogunleye and the back five, kept Waltons strikeforce quiet for most of the game.
The point with other results also mainly going in our favour sends us up one slot into fifteenth.
Up Next:
We host Gosport Borough next Saturday, as part of our ‘Fan Remembrance Day’ game (April 5th).

Match Report by Martin French..