Match Report by Karl Hills
Photography by Steve Gridley
After reaching the NHDFA Saturday Senior Cup Final on Tuesday night, Basingstoke Town travelled down to Devon to face Tiverton Town, hoping to carry that momentum into the league and start pushing themselves back up the table.
Four first half goals by Liam Ferdinand (8’, 45’), Ben Cook (14’) and Scott Armsworth, 18’), saw ‘Stoke take an incredible lead into the break. But they weren’t done yet, as skipper Cook completed the rout in the 48th minute as ‘Stoke brought three precious points back to RG23.
The home side seemed to settle the quickest, with a corner and a couple of other attacks that came to nothing and didn’t test ‘Stoke’s debutant ‘keeper Mack Allan, in for the suspended Simon Grant after his red card appeal was unsuccessful.
But, 8 minutes in, Ferdinand put the visitors into the lead and there was no looking back for ‘Stoke. Lewis Colwell skipped away down the left flank but was felled just outside the area. Sam Deadfield, whose balls into the box were to cause Tiverton trouble all afternoon, stepped up and whipped the free-kick into the near post and there was Ferdinand, who had run across his mark to head in at the near post. (0-1)
The hosts tried to respond via a free-kick themselves, but new ‘Stoke stopper Allan collected the ball into his box easily, before any danger could present itself. His clearance, however, landed at the feet of a Tiverton player, who hit the ball straight back towards the ‘Stoke goal in the hopes of a striker running onto it, but Allan was there to claim the ball once more. Two minutes later, ‘Stoke doubled their lead.
The goal came as the result of a sublime team counter-attack by ‘Stoke. Tiverton’s attack was broken up by Ferdinand on the right flank – he dispossessed both Dylan Jones, then Sam Gleeson, and raced away launching the attack. He played the ball to George Reid, who touched the ball to Cook, and Cook played it straight back to Reid. Reid got towards the byline, before pulling a low cross into the area. Ferdinand left it and the ball came to Cook, who hit it first time from around eight yards out into the bottom right corner. (0-2)
As they did after they conceded the first goal, Tiverton looked to hit back immediately. A long throw from the left was initially cleared by the ‘Stoke defence, but the ball ended up at the feet of Niall Thompson, who let fly from around 30 yards, but Allan once more comfortably collected.
As the 18th minute ticked over Ferdinand, who was causing all sorts of problems for the Tiverton defence was brought down chasing a long ball. Deadfield stepped up and whipped another beautiful cross into the area, this time met by the head of Armsworth, to give ‘Stoke a three-goal lead and sent the travelling faithful into raptures. (0-3)
The hosts made a couple of early changes to try to find a way back into the game, but ‘Stoke were shutting them off at every attempt, whilst looking like they would add to their tally every time they went forward. Deadfield tried his luck from distance, but saw his effort fly over the bar, while Ferdinand shot straight at Joseph Duncan. But the fourth – and game-killing goal – was not far away.
‘Stoke had a throw-in on the left. Colwell shaped to throw it long into the hosts area, but took it short to James Dickson, who returned the ball to him. His first attempt at a cross was blocked, but his second one found the mark as he found Ferdinand at the near post, whose flicked head nestled nicely into the bottom right-hand corner of the Tiverton net. Ferdinand’s second, the visitors’ fourth. All before half-time. (0-4)
Tiverton decided to go route one from the restart after the fourth goal, but the effort from the half-way line didn’t have the power to trouble Allan in the ‘Stoke net.
With no further efforts of note, the referee called time on a phenomenal first half for ‘Stoke.
HT Tiverton Town 0 – 4 Basingstoke Town
The hosts got us back underway for the second half, but just three minutes in, their afternoon got even worse, with a fifth goal for ‘Stoke – and what a goal it was.
‘Stoke had a corner from their right, which was initially clear, but Cook was there and, in true Paolo di Canio style, smashed the ball on the volley into the left-hand corner of the net, with Tiverton keeper Duncan motionless. (0-5).
The visitors wanted to add even more to their tally, but a Deadfield free-kick narrowly curled past the near post from the right of the hosts’ penalty area, and Ferdinand’s deflected effort ended up in Duncan’s hands.
The hosts were still trying to find a way back into the game, but most of their efforts were snuffed out by a stoic ‘Stoke defence, or those that did get through ended up not troubling Allan, or he comfortably collected them.
In the 85th minute came the visiting side’s clearest chance to add a sixth onto the scoresheet. Robbie Gallagher beat his man and rolled the ball across the six-yard box for the arriving Marcus Johnston-Schuster, but he couldn’t connect with the ball and the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.
‘Stoke had a couple of corners in the final minutes that amounted to nothing, and the referee called time on the game and a fantastic result for ‘Stoke.
FT Tiverton Town 0 – 5 Basingstoke Town
What an incredible result for ‘Stoke – with a fantastic all-round performance. A clean sheet on his debut for Allan. ‘Stoke were ruthless. They stay 14th in the League, but with a bit more breathing space over those below. Their next game is another big game at the Winklebury Football Complex on Saturday 8th March, 3pm KO vs Chertsey.
It is also Legends Day for the club! More info available via btfc.co.uk/legends