Match Report by Karl Hills
Photography by Steve Gridley
After a hard-earned point in South Wales on Tuesday night, ‘Stoke were back in RG23 on Saturday afternoon, hoping to build on that result. The visitors – third placed Gloucester City.
The away side got the game underway, but it was ‘Stoke who had the first opportunity of the game inside the first minute. The hosts turned over the ball in their own half, and Liam Ferdinand rolled the ball to Robbie Gallagher, who in turn sent Brissett away down the left flank. Brissett drove into the penalty area, but his shot was deflected wide of the far post.
The visitors soon had their first chance of the game, when Rudy Allen was adjudged to have brought down Joseph Hanks around 25-yards from goal. Harry Pinchard stepped up and hit his free-kick over the wall, but Simon Grant in the ‘Stoke net was equal to it with a good diving save to his left.
After a frantic start, the game began to settle down and the goalmouth action settled with it. Hanks managed a couple of ranged efforts and a header for the visitors, but all were easily gathered by Grant. Another effort from range was briefly spilled by Grant, but he managed to recover the ball before any damage could be done.
As for ‘Stoke, they had a number of corners and balls into the box, but all were cleared with ease or drifted out for a goal-kick. In fairness, neither side really had any clearcut chances outside of the first five minutes, and the sides went into the break all square.
HT Basingstoke Town 0 – 0 Gloucester City
‘Stoke got the ball rolling at the start of the second half, but this time it was the visitors who went close just moments in. Two shots were blocked on the edge of the ‘Stoke box, with both corners cleared away, before Kieran Phillips broke into the box, but hit his shot straight at Grant.
The first foray into the City penalty area for the hosts came around the 60th minute and saw a dangerous cross punched away by City debutant Luke Bell in the visiting net. But three minutes later, ‘Stoke were ahead.
A long throw from the right was flicked on by Billy Upton, controlled and then flicked over the head of a defender by Rudy Allen and volleyed into the top right corner by Brissett. That’s two goals in three games for the new signing. (1-0)
The visitors looked to hit back quickly, with Grant making a low save moments after ‘Stoke took the lead, and Upton making a huge sliding tackle to stop Jadyn Crosbie as City skipper Kevin Dawson sent him through one-on-one. A couple of minutes later, Dayle Grubb hit a dipping shot from the left-hand corner of the home penalty area, but it didn’t dip quick enough and went over the bar for a goal-kick.
At the other end, Liam Ferdinand was sent through on goal but couldn’t quite get his feet right to control the bouncing ball. He mishit the shot, and the ball bounced into the grateful arms of Bell in the City goal.
‘Stoke were holding firm, and it looked like they might take all three points – until a massive deflection in the 86th minute had the sides level. Watts picked the ball up on the left and drove infield. About 30-yards out and dead centre of the goal, he took aim and let fly – only to see his effort come off Jack Ball’s head and loop over Grant into the back of the net. (1-1)
Both sides pressed to find a winner, but with no further goals, the game finished 1-1.
FT Basingstoke Town 1 – 1 Gloucester City
Another decent result for ‘Stoke, despite the deflation of the deflected equaliser. Two solid performances and points against two of the top three teams in the league is not to be scoffed at – and hopefully can be used as a launch point for the rest of the season. ‘Stoke now sit in 13th place, with their next game a short trip to Hungerford Town on 15th February, 3pm KO.