MATCH REPORT: Chippenham Town 1-1 Basingstoke Town (3-2 pens)| FA Trophy 2nd Round | Saturday 18th November 2023

Devotees of the game Monopoly will be familiar with the ‘Get out of Jail’ free card and that is exactly what the Bluebirds did to Basingstoke as they advanced to the third round proper for the second season running.

A below par first half saw the Bluebirds fail to trouble keeper Paul Strudley whilst the Hampshire side could have been out of sight at the interval.

After the break Gary Horgan brought on Luke Spokes and Craig Fasanmade and it was the Bluebirds who made all the running.

However, after failing with an eighth minute chance Paul Hodges’ shot three minutes later was turned in by Nathan Smart to give the Southern League Premier South team the lead.

Hodges then saw a shot blocked for a corner whilst Michael Atkinson’s shot was saved by Will Henry and Liam Ferdinand saw an effort go over.

Chippenham did force a thirty fourth minute Caine Bradbury corner that was headed over by Freddie Grant.

In first half stoppage time Dan Ellison’s clearance went straight to a visiting player and the ball was returned to the six yard box where Hodges contrived to miss.

At the start of the second half Fasanmade and Spokes replaced Mal Nicholls and Tom Owen-Evans; the latter making his first appearance since being injured in a pre-season friendly against coincidentally – Basingstoke.

The opening minute saw Henry save from Hodges before the game turned in favour of the Bluebirds.

Bradbury shot over whilst Fasanmade’s fifty first minute shot hit the angle of post and bar.

Two minutes later skipper Matt McClure’s shot was blocked whilst Tom Mehew found the net only for it to be ruled-out.

On the hour Kai Hobbs’ shot was saved whilst a minute later Alex Bray pulled the ball back into the path of Mehew who shot wide. On seventy minutes a Bradbury corner saw Ellison head wide whilst three minutes later Fasanmade’s shot was superbly blocked on the line by Marcus Johnson-Schuster.

Three minutes from the end of normal time Bray had to leave the field with a pulled hamstring and with all three substitutes already used the Bluebirds played the rest of the match with ten men.

Referee Ross Martin indicated there would be eight minutes of stoppage time and the seventh of these saw Grant’s cross headed wide by Eddie Jones.

However, two Basingstoke injuries and a visitors’ substitution saw a further two minutes added and in the one hundredth minute Luke Haines headed a free kick into the area and Fasanmade turned the ball in.

Basingstoke were the first to take a penalty and Ferdinands effort was saved by Will Henry, Mehew scored for Chippenham before Bradley Wilson clipped his penalty over the bar. Spokes then saw Strudley save whilst Hodges scored.

Fasanmade made it 2-1 to the Bluebirds but D’Andre Brown levelled the game up.

Bradbury despatched Chippenham’s fourth penalty to give them a 3-2 lead and Basingstoke’s Hobbs failed to hit the target with his side’s last penalty meaning Chippenham had no need to take their fifth.

FULL TIME: Chippenham Town 1-1 Basingstoke Town (3-2 pens)

Chippenham: Will Henry, Eddie Jones, Freddie Grant, Luke Haines, Dan Ellison, Matt McClure (Marcel Lewis 65), Tom Owen-Evans (Craig Fasanmade 46), Alex Bray, Tom Mehew, Mal Nicholls (Luke Spokes 46), Caine Bradbury subs not used: Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Nat Williams, Will King, Alex Avenell (gk)

Basingstoke: Paul Strudley, Marcus Johnson-Schuster, Kai Hobbs, Michael Atkinson, Nathan Smart, Alfie Grant (Shane Hollamby 85), Bradley Wilson, D’Andre Brown, Liam Ferdinand, Paul Hodges, Dan Rowe (Alecs Kokooszka (90+7) subs not used: Harvey Collins, Jake Impiazzi, Eddie Lazarczuk

Ref: Ross Martin

Ass Refs: Adam Wilson, James Hooper