BASINGSTOKE TOWN 0 HISTON 1
Basingstoke left their fans to sweat going into their final home game against Hayes as Danny Bloomfields header consigned Francis Vines side to their sixth consecutive home defeat. The Camrose Blues entered their penultimate home game of the season knowing that a point would almost certainly secure their Conference South status, but with Histon still coveting hopes of a place in the play-offs the visitors were unlikely to be easy opponents, and snatched all three points with a second half goal.
Both sides had early chances to open the scoring, and both goalkeepers had to be alert to keep the scores level. Matt Hannivers low driven centre was steered goalwards by Neil Kennedy but Stuart Searle did well to stick out a leg to divert the ball away. At the other end, Lance Key was twice forced into excellent saves in the opening quarter of an hour. The first came as Jamie Goslings centre picked out James Taylor, whose header was flying towards the far corner only for Key to throw himself full length to tip the ball away for a corner. David Ray then almost forced an error out of Matthew Mitchell-King who diverted his low cross towards his own goal but Key again made a fine stop, clawing the ball back on the line having been wrong-footed by his team-mate.
After a lull in proceedings, the game burst into life around the half-hour mark. A long punt forward by Searle was missed by Mitchell-King, but although Taylor anticipated the loose ball well, he didnt get enough on the ball, and Key claimed easily. Play switched to the other end, and Nick Beasant - deployed as a striker on his debut had to make a headed clearance off the line as Ian Cambridge flashed a venomous volley on target. The visitors continued to threaten, and Cambridge turned provider with a cross which Jamie Barker who had stolen in front of his marker volleyed marginally over the crossbar.
After Lewis Cook had bent a free-kick just wide of an upright from the side of the box, the visitors again went close when Ian Cambridges corner picked out defender Roscoe Hipperson, whose goalbound header was kicked off the line at the base of the post by David Ray.
The second half began with two close calls in the visitors goalmouth. First, a free-kick by Lewis Cook found Taylor in space at the far post, and although his header evaded Key, Mitchell-King was on hand to head off the line. From Rays ensuing corner, Lee Molyneaux hooked the ball back into the danger area, where Beasant flicked on, Key was down quickly at his near post to make the save.
Cook also went close with a 25-yard free-kick, but it was a free-kick at the other end which should have seen Histon claim the lead. Ian Cambridges quickly taken free-kick found the back of the net, but referee Williams controversially ruled that he wasnt ready. Barker took the re-take, and Searle was extended to the full to push the ball away. The home sides luck ran out on 64 minutes as Hannivan had acres of space to send in a cross which Bloomfield nodded out of the reach of Searle for the opening goal.
The Camrose Blues responded immediately with two substitutions, and they both combined shortly after their arrivals to go close to an equaliser on 71 minutes. Giuseppe Sole won a corner which was half cleared. Sole teed up Ricci Dolan whose shot bobbled inches wide from 12 yards through a crowd of players.
The home side battled away, but Histon were able to keep the Camrose Blues at arms length, and defender Erkan Okay almost added a second in the closing minutes when he ghosted in behind the Basingstoke defence, and clipped the ball over the stranded Searle, but was denied by the top of the crossbar. |
