Hampshire Snr Cup 2nd Rnd – Saturday 3rd October 2026
Basingstoke Town 3 v 5 AFC Totton Attendance 410
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie apeeared to go with a defensive line-up for this Hants Snr Cup game with: 1. Reuben Egan, 2. Sulayman Ceesay, 3. Jonathan Gjoshe, 4. Scot Armsworth, 5. Bernie Tanner, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Alex Solomon, 8. Louis McGrory, 9. Jeremiah Okine-Peters, 10. Christos Papkonstantinou, 11. D’Andre Brown
On the bench: 17. James Henry, 12. Amardeep Singh, 14. Anthony Manocchio, 15. Tom Blake, 21. Lucas Welch
Referee – Jordan Mcitchie
Our final chance of cup glory this season got off to a slow start, in this Hampshire Snr Cup clash against National League South side AFC Totton, and the first shot of anger, was from Totton, whose forward hit the side-netting from eight yards out.
Stoke came close to going a goal behind in the 21stt minute as from a Totton corner, the cross hit Bernie Tanner on the chest then rebounded a foot wide of the Stoke goal.
The follow-up corner is met by the Totton man-mountain of a defender who heads home, despite Scott Armsworth’s goal-line . Basingstoke Town 0-1 AFC Totton
Totton fail to double their lead two minutes later, a Totton forward wasted a clear chance to shoot, allowing the Stoke defender across to block the ball away.
Totton after a short delay have to replace their forward Tony Lee, who has picked up an injury.
Stoke have still to trouble the Totton goal, and the visitors doubled their lead, just past the half-hour mark, as the Totton forward is first to the through ball, and round Stoke’s new keeper and slotted the ball into an empty net. Basingstoke Town 0-2 AFC Totton
Totton come close to another goal, as a through ball finds their striker through, but his toe-poke shot hit the right-hand post and rolled to safety.
Stoke then had some possession in Totton’s half, but Christos has his shot saved by the keeper.
Oops Stoke’s new keeper will not be happy with that, as he failed to get a strong enough hand on a Totton shot, and the ball found the net. Basingstoke Town 0-3 AFC Totton
Totton came close to making it four in added-time of the first-half, but a good block by two Stoke defenders, kept the ball out.
We go into the break with a lot to do to the second-half to keep our cup hopes alive.
Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 3 AFC Totton
Stoke made two substitutions at halftime, as Scott Armsworth was replaced by Tom Blake, and D’Andre Brown by new signing Anthony Manocchio.
The second-half got underway, and within the first ninety seconds, Totton had extended their lead. Basingstoke Town 0-4 AFC Totton
Worse was too come as a well-hit shot from thirty yards found the bottom corner of the net and it’s five for Totton Basingstoke Town 0-5 AFC Totton
Stoke’s two new additions to the game, appeared to have ignited soe belief in the side, and a half clearance from a Stoke attack, fell to Louis McGrory, who volleyed his shot with power, but straight to the Totton keeper.
Whether Totton had taken a foot off the pedal or not, Stoke started putting passing moves together, and Blake slid the ball to Okine-Peters, whose low cross was just out of the reach of Anthony Manocchio’s slide to get a touch on the ball.
Stoke continued to attack, and they finally got a ball back, as Blake broke into Totto’s penalty area, and smashed a left-foot shot that the keeper could only into the roof of the net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 5 AFC Totton (Blake 62 mins)
Stoke continued to press, and Okine-Peters shot from 9 yards out was straight at the keeper who made the save down low.
Stoke came forward once more as Blake found Manocchio on the right whose cross flew to the far post, where Okine-Peters retrieved it, then found Blake, inside the penalty area, and the ball reached Christos, whose shot took a big deflection off a Totton defender and into the net. GOAL!! Basingstoke Town 2 – 5 AFC Totton (Christos 68 mins)
Stoke made their third change as Amardeep Singh made his league debut as he replaced Sulayman Ceesay (69 mins).
There was another delay as another Totton player received treatment, and was then helped off down the tunnel.
The delay to the restart seemed to halt Stoke’s momentum, as we moved into the final ten minutes of the game.
Stoke made it’s fourth change as Jonathan Gjoshe was replaced by James Henry (88 mins).
A free-kick by Henry a minute, later although hit well, was always rising over the bar.
Now deep into added-time, the ball fell to Upton twelve yards out, and his shot found the back of the net. GOAL!!! Basingstoke Town 3 – 5 AFC Totton (Upton 95 mins)
We played another minute, before the referee blew the final whistle, and Stoke will not be retaining the Hampshire Snr Cup this season.
Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 3 vs 5 AFC Totton
Blake 62 mins, Christos 67 mins, Cordner 22 mins, Wanjau-Smith 31mins,
Upton 95 mins, Sims 37 mins, Vigrass 47 mins, Ward 49 mins,
Match Thought’s
Yet one more game, where the performance in each half were poles apart, and it cost us dearly once more, as we failed to stay in the game in the first 45 minutes. Blake was back on the top of his game, and he, McGrory and the new signing Anthony Manocchio worked well together in the second-half.
Lots of expectation for more players to return next week, but many fans will not want Manocchio to be sent out on loan, as this has tended to mean they either get injured or never seem to return to the club.
Two big league games coming up, in Malvern Town and then three days later, Havant & Waterlooville.
Up Next:
Out of all three cup competitions, we move back into the league, and host new boys Malvern Town at Winklebury next Saturday (10th) KO 3pm
Match Report by Martin French..
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