Match Report: Basingstoke Town1 – 2 Poole Town – Saturday 14th February 2026

Southern League Premier South – Saturday 14th February 2026
Basingstoke Town 1 vs 2 Poole Town Attendance 679
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Manager Dan Brownlie for this clash with Poole Town, went with a starting line-up of: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Lloyd Snell, 3. James Clark, 4. James Dickson, 5. Jack Ball, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Joe Grant, 8. Josh Green, 9. Cheick Sylla, 10. Tom Blake, 11. Robbie Gallagher
On the bench: 12. Ben Cook, 14. Joe Barough, 15.George Reid, 16.Elliott Legg, 17. Dan Rowe
Referee – Mitchell Terry

With Stoke attacking the car-park end in the first-half, the thing of note was an injury to a Poole player inside twenty seconds, in the opening couple of minutes, which then saw the visitors break down the left, and a cross to the far post, saw a Poole player get to the ball first and his diving header, found the back of the net. Basingstoke 0-1 Poole Town

Two further attacks, saw Poole forwards able to get shots away, but Simon Grant was able to make comfortable saves.

Stoke’s first attack of any sort, was on ten minutes, but Cheick Sylla’s shot could only find the side-netting.
After a quiet few minutes, James Dickson, cut in from the left-hand touchline and hit a shot from outside the penalty area, that flew over the bar.

Stoke continued to look for an equaliser, but after good work from Tom Blake, his left-footed shot was dragged wide of the right-hand post.

The visitors who had done very little for ten minutes, then could have doubled their lead, as what appeared a free-header from a corner, was matched by a strong save by Simon Grant, and as the ball was cleared, the game was stopped due to an injury to Billy Upton.

The momentum started to change with Stoke, looking for an equaliser, and a neat move saw Robbie Gallagher, beat his defender then pull his cross back to Lloyd Snell, who hit a shot that flew a foot over the bar. This was however to be Snell’s last participation in the game, as he picked up an injury, and was replaced by Elliott Legg, shortly afterwards (42 minutes)

With a minute of normal time in the first-half, Stoke should have levelled, but James Dickson with space inside the penalty area, could only hit the keeper, and the chance was lost.

With all the stoppages, it was no surprise when the referee confirmed six minutes of added-time, and it was Poole who broke dangerously down the left, but Upton made a superb intercepting header.
The last action of note in the half, was when Tom Blake, hit a free-kick two yards wide of the right-hand post, after Gallagher had been fouled yet once more.
Stoke went into the break behind, but with a lot of positive possession.

Halftime Score: Basingstoke Town 0 vs 1 Poole Town
It was a quiet start to the second-half, with nothing of note in the opening ten minutes, although it was noticeable that Stoke were trying to press Poole’s defence as they passed out from the back.

It was also noticeable that both sets of players were starting to exchange words and push each other, after each foul was awarded for either side. This was made worse, as the Poole substitute (No.7), making his way back round to the dugouts, stopped, confronted, then lashed out a Stoke fan behind the goal.

On fifty-seven minutes, good work by Joe Grant, who whipped in a cross, that forced a Poole defender to slice his clearance out for a corner.

Stoke made it’s second change of the game, with George Reid replacing James Dickson (66 mins).
Stoke continued to press, but struggled to force the keeper to make a save, then saw Cheick Sylla smash a shot from twenty-eight yards, that was straight at the keeper.

The visitors who had shown very little in the second-half then broke, and a shot beat Simon Grant, but hit the left-hand post and rebounded away.

Stoke continued to press forwards and Upton found Sylla, who broke clear then as the keeper came out slid it across to Joe Grant, in front of goal, and tapped it home into an empty net. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Poole Town (J Grant 78mins)

This ignited a response from Poole who won a corner on the left, which was curled across and ended up in the net, but the linesman’s flag was up for a foul on Simon Grant, and the goal was quickly disallowed.

Stoke hit back with an attack of their own, but the shot from Josh Green lacked power, and was easily held by the Poole keeper.
Another free-kick, another push and verbal between the players, and the players. The kick was met by Joe Grant, but he could only direct his header over the bar.

Stoke with all the momentum, made its third change with Cheick Sylla replaced by Dan Rowe (88 mins).
Thirty seconds later, Stoke were sucker punched as Poole broke down the right, and the cross was met by a Poole forward who tapped home from five yards. Basingstoke 1-2 Poole Town.
With just four minutes of added-time announced, a Poole player injured on the sidelines, was replaced a minute later.

Stoke then won a corner on the right, and this was met by a Stoke head, that must have been tipped by Poole’s keeper on to the top of the crossbar and out for another corner. This corner again flew around the Poole penalty area, and a header flew close to the left-hand post, and a Poole player knocked it out for a corner on the left.

Now in the fifth minute of added-time, the corner saw a call for a penalty waived away, only for another penalty call seconds later, that the referee decided to give, and two minutes later James Clark failed to beat the keeper from the spot, and the referee immediately blew the final whistle and Stoke went down to defeat.

Fulltime Score: Basingstoke Town 1 vs 2 Poole Town
J Grant 78 mins,                                    Carr 5 mins, Gwengwe 90 mins,

Match Thought’s
A good performance by Basingstoke, deserved better on the day, was ultimately ruined by the disgraceful scenes on the pitch after the game.
Joe Grant’s first of hopefully many goals for the club.
With the loss we slip to fourteenth in the table.
Up Next:
We are back on the road and into south-west London, as we take on the potential league winners (Walton & Hersham), next Saturday (21st), with a 3pm KO.

Match Report by Martin French..