Borough revel in commanding Basingstoke success

By Connor Steel

GOSPORT BOROUGH FC revelled in another ‘victorious’ day of football as they welcomed Basingstoke Town FC for their latest league match this Saturday afternoon (October 17); comfortably earning themselves a four-nil win against their Hampshire rivals following a ‘commanding’ display in front of over nine hundred supporters at a dry AEI Stadium.

The hosts started brightly and could have scored within three minutes when Kris Campbell had his curled shot tipped away by Simon Grant; the rebound falling to Billy Bodin who hit the crossbar from a very offside position. In response Basingstoke did well to overcome two minor injury stoppages, and were unlucky not to score off Chinedu Ago’s cross.

Borough saw penalty appeals turned down by the officials on sixteen minutes before they took the lead minutes later; Michael Fernandes breaking through on the goal and putting it expertly into the bottom corner for one-nil. The visitors thought they had levelled on twenty-three minutes as Cheick Sylla smashed home a pass but he was deemed offside.

A second goal soon arrived in this thirty-first minute when Fernandes fell down in a debatable penalty, which was duly converted by Campbell into the right corner. More chances were ‘ultimately squandered’ by Gosport in this build up to half time before adding a third in stoppage time; Mauro Vilhete placing inside the net to end their outstanding first half.

It was a quieter opening to this second period with Basingstoke going close at free kicks as Billy Upton scuffed a shot into the gloves of James Holden who further showed his calmness dealing with several deliveries inside this box. Ago then lashed harmlessly over the crossbar after a quick run as Borough brilliantly absorbed this spell of away pressure.

Basingstoke’s next chance arrived after sixty minutes as a ball was missed by everyone, and it was nodded goalwards by Jeremiah Okine-Peters; this effort being well denied by Holden who clawed it out of the top right. Substitutions then followed across both teams over a spell of twenty minutes that saw little action as neither side won the midfield control.

Any hopes of the away comeback were dimming and these were completely finished by Wayne Robinson in the eighty-sixth minute; the striker cutting down the left and firing his low drive inside the opposite corner for four-nil. There was a chance for one last goal as Ben Greenwood curled wide from a dangerous free kick, but four was enough for a big win.

With a limited calendar for fixtures due to FA Cup ties, this three points mean Borough are now eighth after their twelve matches to date; featuring five wins, three draws and four defeats overall. They will face harder opponents however as this team travel to Wimborne Town on Tuesday evening before hosting Chichester City in the FA Trophy on October 24.

PICTURED BY GOSPORT BOROUGH FC MEDIA: Home players gather for team huddle moments before this kick off.