Match Report: Poole Town 1 – 0 Basingstoke Town – Saturday 22nd November 2025

Southern League Premier South – Saturday 22nd November 2025
Poole Town 1 vs 0 Basingstoke Town Attendance 464
Where: Black & Gold Stadium, School Lane, Poole. BH15 3JR
With a number of enforced changes, Manager Dan Brownlie’s line-up for the game against Poole Town was: 1. Simon Grant, 2. Markus Johnson-Schuster, 3. Joe O’Loughlin, 4. Josh Green, 5. James Clark, 6. Billy Upton (Capt), 7. Thomas Blake, 8. Ben Cook, 9. Dan Rowe, 10. Joshua Dolling, 11. D’Andre Brown
On the bench: 12. Connor Barratt, 14.Elliott Legg, 15.Connor Harris, 16. Liam Ferdinand & 17. Scott Armsworth
Referee – Andrew Dunn

With the torrential rain not having stopped all-day, the game got underway with Basingstoke attacking the covered end, and initial attacks by both sides, were easily defended.

An attack by Poole down the right, in the eight minute, saw the cross headed up in the air by a Poole forward, allowing on-loan keeper, Joel Halliday to claim the ball in the air.
It was already noticeable that despite what looked a much improved pitch, the rain was making any real passing moves, more difficult, as the ball would either hold up or spin through of the wet surface.
James Clark made a timely interception on fifteen minutes as Poole broke, but both teams were struggling to put any decent moves together.

This was to change, as in the 21st minute, another attack and low cross form the right, found well-known striker Shaquille Gwengwe, who tapped home from close range. Poole 1-0 Basingstoke

Thirty minutes in and with the rain showing no signs of abating, apart from the one goal, there has been very little goalmouth action.
Poole then with two minutes to the break, should have doubled their lead, as a move found their goalscorer, but his shot from ten yards was dragged wide of the left-hand post.
A minute of added-time was played and Stoke despite battling hard, and apart from a couple of corners, we hadn’t troubled the Poole keeper.

Halftime Score: Poole Town 1 vs 0 Basingstoke Town
With no changes by Stoke at halftime, the second-half got underway as Stoke attacked the clubhouse end, and like the first-half, it was a very quiet start to the half.
Ten minutes in, and Halliday made a good punching clearance, despite heavy pressure from two Poole players.

Stoke then won a free-kick about 25yards outside, which D’Andre Brown beat the wall, but a fingertip save by the Poole keeper, pushed it onto the bar and the rebound shot was given offside.

A minute later Poole Town’s Gwengwe found the back of the net, but he was easily five yards offside, and the goal was rightly disallowed. Gwengwe had another chance a minute later, but again decided to drag his shot wide.

Stoke made its first change just past the hour-mark. as Dan Rowe was replaced by the returning Liam Ferdinand (61 mins).

Poole were starting to push forward, and despite two corners, and a shot which flew five yards wide, Stoke were holding firm.

Stoke then made a double-change as D’Andre Brown was replaced by Connor Barratt, and Ben Cook was replaced by Connor Harris (66 mins).

Poole had another attack three minutes later, but Halliday was down low to make the save.

The next attack was by Stoke, who attacked down the left, with the cross arriving to Markus Johnson-Schuster at the far-post, but his shot deflected wide of the left-hand post.
From another Stoke attack, Poole broke, but Halliday made a fine save from Gwengwe, and the rebound fell to another Poole forward, who blasted the ball over the bar from ten yards.
Halliday then made an even better save, with five minutes remaining, pushing the shot out for a corner.
With three-minutes remaining Ferdinand received the ball, neatly turned, but his shot lacked power, and was held easily by the Poole keeper.
Stoke had the next attack, but Barratt’s shot flew high over the crossbar.
In the first of five minutes of added-time, new signing Tom Blake made a strong important tackle to stop another Poole attack.
Stoke had two more attacks in the Poole goalmouth in added-time, but both were halted for offside.
Poole then came close once more, but as their striker rounded Halliday in goal, the shot towards the goal, was held up on the wet surface, allowing Johnson-Schuster to clear the ball as a Poole forward slid in to get the loose ball.
Stoke were back in the Poole penalty area, but the shot was blocked, and the referee blew the final whistle, and Stoke will travel home without any points, despite a battling performance.

Fulltime Score: Poole Town 1 vs 0 Basingstoke Town
Gwengwe 21 mins,

Match Thought’s
A much enforced line-up, plus the awful weather conditions was always going to make this a much more challenging game, and although we battled well throughout the game, Stoke were unable to take the couple of decent chances it created, it was Poole who had the clearer chances, but on-loan keeper Joel Halliday made three really important saves.
Good to see Liam Ferdinand back on the pitch, who we will need moving forward. We slip one place to twelfth in the table.
Up Next:
On Tuesday evening we travel to Gloucestershire to take on an improving Yate Town side (25th), KO 7.45pm

Match Report by Martin French..