Non League Watch – Basingstoke Town vs Dorchester Town

On a wet and windy afternoon at the Camrose, Basingstoke came out on top after a scrappy affair but with no lack of incidents. Basingstoke and Dorchester kicked off the […]


On a wet and windy afternoon at the Camrose, Basingstoke came out on top after a scrappy affair but with no lack of incidents.

Basingstoke and Dorchester kicked off the game with 12 points each, but with Basingstoke being ahead on goal difference. There was little to note until around the 20th minute, when Ross Adams, Basingstoke’s captain and centre-half, went down under a needless challenge on the touchline. He was carried off on a stretcher and it was later confirmed he had broken his leg. Dorchester continued  with their physical style, and a few minutes later Gary Bowles, on loan from League 1 Bournemouth, headbutted David Pratt, and was promptly sent off. From the resulting free kick on the edge of the 18 yard box, Delano Sam-Yorke whipped in a free kick which was flicked in by the tall centre forward Tim Sills – only to be ruled out for offside.

The man advantage that Basingstoke held was starting to pay off, with much more possession and territory. This paid off in the 45th minute, as David Pratt ran onto his own misplaced pass as the Dorchester defence stood still. From the touchline he pulled a dangerous ball back across to the edge of the 6 yard box which Tim Sills bundled in for his first league goal of the season since returning to ‘Stoke after a 9 year absence.

Basingstoke came out in the second half looking like favourites to get the next goal. From the right hand side, a whipped ball in from Smart was headed back in from Sills, but Pratt could only get a weak header away which was easily gathered by the Dorchester ‘keeper, Nick Jordan. Just a couple of minutes later Sills almost had his second goal, a powerful header well tipped over the bar. Delano Sam-Yorke then went on a powerful surge into the box, his low drive well smothered by Jordan.

At this point the Dorchester manager realised he needed to change things round, and made a double substitution. This did not have an instant impact – however, in the 70th minute Nick Jordan, the Dorchester goalkeeper, took a goal kick which somehow bounced over his opposite number, Ashley Bayes. As the 350 strong crowd looked on nervously, the ball struck the foot of the post and bounced out, with Bayes diving helplessly.

This was the catalyst for the game to open up into an end to end thriller. Almost immediately Dorchester could have got the equaliser, Ryan Moss recieving the ball 5 yards out, but a fantastic block from Bayes followed by a scrambled clearance kept the score at 1-0. Basingstoke then made a couple of changes, with Delano Sam-Yorke and Tim Sills coming off to be replaced by Matt Warner and Rob Gradwell. Basingstoke made their extra man count, slicing open the Dorchester defence to put Gradwell through, although his weak effort trickled wide of the far post with only the keeper to beat, and despite his frantic appeals for a corner only a goal kick was given. Dorchester then had a decent shout for a penalty turned down, and from the clearance Gradwell was once again put through, but yet again he managed to smash wide when one on one. The crowd groaned.

Four minutes of added time was indicated, most of which was spent in the crowded Basingstoke Town box. Numerous shots were blocked, and with the last kick of the game a powerful shot struck the post and went wide. The Basingstoke fans were jubilant, the game was won.

Final Score:          Basingtoke Town FC 1 – 0  Dorchester Town FC