CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 1 BASINGSTOKE TOWN 2
Francis Vines Basingstoke side dug in for a vital three points, which have effectively taken them to within a point of safety in a scrappy encounter at the War Memorial Ground against fellow strugglers Carshalton. It wasnt pretty, but effective nonetheless with the returning Danny Brown putting in a towering performance alongside Jason Bristow in the visiting defence.
Town were given the perfect start in the fifth minute when David Rays free-kick, and Giuseppe Soles darting run towards the near post caught the Robins defence flatfooted. Soles glancing header left Adam Federici rooted to the spot, and sent the delighted contingent of Basingstoke fans into celebratory mood. The visitors also had a shout for handball from a shot by new boy Matt Ottley, but referee Phipps waved away protests, and it was not to be the only controversial decision by the man in the middle.
The home side, slow out of the traps, began to dominate midfield and possession partly because of their pace in wide areas, and partly because of Basingstokes failure to maintain possession or string more than two passes together in the middle of the park. But for all their possession and pressure, the Robins efforts on goal were few and far between. Experienced striker Matt Fowler failed to direct his header following excellent work and a useful centre by Marlon Patterson from the left flank, and Fowler again came within an ace of equalising, this time just failing to apply the finishing touch to a volley by Tony Quinton which flashed across the face of goal invitingly from Michael Johnsons deep cross to the far post.
Craig Dundas was the powerful battering ram up front for the Robins, and he kept the visiting defence occupied all afternoon. One rare glimpse of goal for the striker came after a powerful run took him past two defenders, but his shot was well blocked by the excellent Brown, and rebounded back off Dundas and over the bar.
In the last minute of the first half, a rare moment of respite for the Town defence came when Jamie Gosling linked neatly with Sole on the edge of the Carshalton area, and after exchanging passes with the Woking youngster, he curled a shot on target, but it was comfortably claimed by Federici.
The home side reacted during the interval, sending on Marc Simms for Mark Marshall. Simms got into the thick of things in the second period, but not before Basingstoke got the crucial second. The outcome of the game ultimately hinged on another penalty claim, this time as Dundas went down under challenge from Lee Molyneaux in the box. Dundas may well have been justified in feeling hard done by, and to add insult to injury, not only was team mate Fowler booked for his protestations about the failure to award a spot kick, Molyneaux then delivered the perfect centre from a free-kick two minutes later for James Taylor to power home a header past the helpless Federici from point-blank range for this fifth goal in four games on 51 minutes and put Basingstoke two goals to the good.
Substitute Simms then had two shots on target as the home side furiously tried to find a way through, the first blocked excellently by Brown, the second straight at Stuart Searle, who put in a solid display against his old club. Searle also had to be alert as Dundas flicked the ball over Bristow and threatened to get in on goal. The keeper reacted well, racing off his line to clear the danger as the striker shaped to pull the trigger.
Ben Surey almost sensed a third in the meantime, after intercepting a misplaced pass in the Robins midfield, but he failed to get enough elevation on his attempted lob from 35 yards over Carshalton keeper Federici, who had advanced a little too far off his line and was nearly caught out of position.
Robins sub Daniel Platel fired over from the edge of the box from Dundas cutback, and the game seemed to be heading for a comfortable victory for the visitors with the home sides heads dropping, but defender David Graves set up a tense finale with a fine finish from the edge of the area, Platel cutting the ball back for Graves to fire an unstoppable shot past Searle with four minutes left.
Basingstoke looked dangerous on the break following the introduction of Pablo Pedrotti as a second half sub for the isolated Sole, and the Argentine striker went close on the counter-attack with a jinking run and shot, which forced a sharp save out of Federici at his near post from 22 yards.
Carshalton threw everything into attack in the closing moments of a nervy contest, but the Camrose Blues defence held firm, determined not to let valuable points slip away for the second game in a row. |
