Three minutes of goals, sees ‘Stoke through to the Third Round

BASINGSTOKE 2

Sam Smart 45+2, Callum Bunting 46

FARNBOROUGH 1

Declan Appau 45

Hostilities were renewed between Basingstoke and Farnborough as the local rivals clashed for the first time in a season where both sides had started strongly, Basingstoke joint top of the Southern League Premier South with Farnborough just a point behind. The Hampshire Cup tie on Tuesday night served as a prelude to two potentially huge matches later in the season.

Few clubs have won the competition in its 131-year history more than the two that met at the Camrose, each victorious on seven occasions and ‘Stoke manager Jason Bristow spoke of his fondness for it in the build-up, reiterating his desire to go far as possible and repeat the triumphs of the 2013/14 and 2016/17 seasons. The Dragons face campaigns in five competitions though and next Saturday’s crucial FA Cup tie took precedence, convincing Bristow to leave striker Sam Argent, defensive pair Shane Hollamby and Dan Bayliss and captain Charlie Kennedy out with the aim of including them at the weekend. Another regular starter in George Bennett was reduced to the bench, only entering the fray when playmaker Sam Deadfield was taken off with an Achilles injury.

This gave the starting line-up a slightly makeshift look, right back Dean Stow forced into a central position with winger Zidan Akers dropping in at full back while Jack McKnight and Callum Bunting were drafted in for their first starts of the season. It didn’t show though and Akers, McKnight and Bunting were all excellent as for perhaps just the second time this season, Basingstoke won a match in which they were clearly the better side.

The game was decided by a flurry of goals either side of half-time. Declan Appau’s 25-yard free kick took a deflection on its way into the net to put Farnborough in the lead in the final minute of the first half. It was cruel on a Basingstoke team that had repeatedly gone close throughout the first period, Bunting seeing an early header cleared off the line while visiting keeper James Stroud had denied McKnight and Ben Wright and Luke Robertson narrowly avoided turning Sam Smart’s cross into his own net. Boro’s lead lasted for just three minutes though as a pair of neat passes between Wright and McKnight freed the talismanic Smart to smash a strike across Stroud and into the corner of the net on the stroke of half-time. The turnaround was complete just 45 seconds into the second half as the hosts took a 2-1 lead. From the kick off, Bunting won a free kick which was delivered to him by Dean Stow. His far post header crept through the six-yard box and into the bottom corner to the delight of the home fans.

From that moment Basingstoke began to dominate. Smart shot at Stroud when through on goal and Dan Collier, Jack McKnight and Ben Wright all rattled the woodwork within a twelve-minute spell. Sam Smart was denied twice more by Stroud while at the other end Jim Orvis made a superb recovery to challenge Perry Coles inside the box and Basingstoke were relieved to see an offside flag deny Farnborough a scrambled equaliser. The pace of Smart and guile of McKnight were constant threats as the hosts counter-attacked effectively without ever managing to find the third goal. As the final minutes ticked away, Basingstoke defended well and saw out a 2-1 win, ensuring safe passage into the 3rd round of the Hampshire Senior Cup.