‘STOKE IN AS SWANS
BWilson
ASINGSTOKE won promotion in dramatic circumstances with victory over South Park, coupled with Thatcham’s late equaliser wrested the title away from Walton & Hersham.
Basingstoke entered the final day knowing they needed a win and a favour from Thatcham to give the 1,577-strong crowd a reason to celebrate.
The hosts started cautiously, but went close early on as Brad Wilson scuffed D’Andre Brown’s cutback against the foot of a post, but the Sparks were dangerous on the counter and took the lead after half an hour as Sam Tutt cut in from the left and lifted a finish into the roof of the net. ‘Stoke got a crucial equaliser before halftime as George Reid was tripped in the box and Wilson coolly beat Zak Basey from the spot a minute before the break.
Wilson stepped up again five
BASILDON United played out a drab stalemate with champions Hashtag United yesterday.
An even first half for both teams saw the best chance fall to The Bees after eight minutes when Callum Fitzer raced through and unleashed a great shot, but the Hashtag keeper, James Philp, pulled off a great save.
The second half went the same way as the first half Basildon had the first chance after 59 minutes when Ben Allen minutes into the second half following a foul on Paul Hodges to convert from the spot once more and put the hosts in front. Home keeper Paul Strudley saved well from Finlay Johnson and Reid capitalised on a mistake from Basey to dispatch the third home goal into an open net with fifteen minutes to go. With the game under control, attention drifted to events at Thatcham and news of the late goal sent the ‘Stoke fans into party mode.
had a chance, but he just couldn’t find the goal.
Then in the 89th minute, following on from a poor clearance from the tags keeper, Fitzer took the ball and smashed the crossbar as a poor game came to a close with neither finding the net.
BRENTWOOD enjoyed a comfortable win over tenman Wroxham yesterday.
The home side cruised into a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes with Jack Adlington capitalising on a goalkeeper error from Wroxham’s Harry Sutton in the sixth minute and Bryan Ifeanyi scoring with a fine strike four minutes later.
Wroxham were reduced to ten men when Josh Hazell was red carded for handball in the area, but the resulting penalty from Adlington was well saved.