The Dragons' hopes of a dream start to their Nationwide Conference South Campaign cruelly dashed with a last gasp own goal equaliser for Thurrock with 3 minutes of stoppage time played, after James Taylor had given the home side the lead with twelve minutes remaining.
The first half began with Matt Warner sending over some dangerous centres from the left, but on each occasion, there was no Basingstoke player to get on the end of things to apply a finishing touch.
In a scrappy first half, Francis Vines' side showed plenty of effort, but failed to control possession. The physical presence of the visitors gave the Dragons little time to play the fluent constructive football, which the fans had warmed to in pre-season. All too often, the long ball towards James Taylor and Neville Roach, came straight back with little support for the strikers. Thurrock set about their task in the opening stages, and fired a few warning shots of their own. Terry Bowes' speculative volley from 22 yards following a half-cleared corner was grabbed easily by Ashlee Jones in the home goal under the crossbar. Leon McKenzie was then gifted an opening by a sloppy pass from Joe Bruce towards his teammate Joe Dolan. With the target beckoning, McKenzie dragged his effort wide of the target, allowing the Dragons' midfielder to heave a sigh of relief.
After 25 minutes came Basingstoke's first real opening of the afternoon. Neville Roach intercepted a wayward backpass at the other end, but trying to take it round Gavin King took him too wide, and Kenny Clark spared his keeper's blushes with a goalline clearance.
Thurrock, although posing little threat themselves for the most part, still looked the liklier side to score in the opening half. Wesley Thomas skipped past Dolan, and squared across the area, only to see Papy Kanyuka's goalbound effort blocked by the recovering defender.
The second half saw Basingstoke begin to regain their self-belief in the middle of the park, and the home crowd finally saw their side begin to get on top.
Matt Warner picked out Dolan at the far post, who was virtually unmarked, but could only guide his volley straight at King in the Thurrock goal from a tight angle. The left winger also caused anxious moments in the visiting area, when his next free-kick was almost headed inadvertantly past his own goalkeeper by defender Kenny Clark. King reacted well to push the ball away, albeit somewhat fortuitously avoiding the blue and gold shirted players in the process.
Francis Vines introduced Mark Peters for Neville Roach, and this galvanised the side into more cohesive play. David Ray looped a header just over from Matt Ottley's long throw, and then Ray turned provider with a decent cross from which Peters flashed a near-post header inches over the crossbar.
Twelve minutes from time, Taylor created space for himself onto a long ball over the top and nodded coolly over the stranded King to put Town deservedly in the driving seat.
The lead caused a few lapses in concentration from the Dragons, and Ottley misjudged a cross which bounced over him, and McKenzie looked to be certain to score from six yards out, only to be denied by Jones' reflexes and bravery from point-blank range.
That chance apart, Town looked assured however, and with the three points seemingly in the bag, were left stunned as a deep cross from the right flank was inexplicably sliced past the helpless Jones by the unfortunate Ottley with no Thurrock player in attendance from virtually the last kick of the game. |
