A DOMINANT first-half performance from Basingstoke Town was not matched after the break and saw the team kicked out of the FA Cup in a 5-4 defeat at Stoneham.

‘Stoke faced AFC Stoneham in a Hampshire derby on Saturday, September 2, in the FA Cup first qualifying round fixture.

Early play saw good chances from Bradley Wilson hitting the crossbar and Dan Rowe’s header saved by the keeper. The first goal came 16 minutes in when George Reid crossed the ball into the box for Rowe to head it home.

Town’s strong performance continued and on 21 minutes Wilson drove the ball into the box and a Stoneham defender put it into his own net.

Seven minutes later, Rowe had another great opportunity but a good save from Stoneham’s keeper saw the scoreline remain 0-2. It wasn’t long before Reid gave ‘Stoke their third goal, with Callum Winchcombe squaring the ball across the six-yard box and finding Reid to make it 0-3.

Just before half time Stoneham were awarded a penalty which they converted (1-3).

It was a great start to the second half for ‘Stoke, on 47 minutes Reid whipped the ball into the box to find Rowe who headed it into the net (1-4).

From then on it was Stoneham’s game, and despite Basingstoke using all their allowed substitutions they couldn’t hold onto the lead, eventually losing 5-4.

Speaking after the match on the club’s YouTube channel, manager Dan Brownlie said the team’s performance was an “embarrassment”.

He continued: “They (Stoneham) didn’t give in and we gave in and frustratingly what it felt like is we gave in at 4-1. We had the cigars lit out and we weren’t first to the ball. We started giving sloppy balls away and the unforced errors were more so than I think I have ever had before.

“There is no dressing it up, that was an incredibly poor performance in a game that we knew was going to be a challenge, we knew we were the favourites going in.

“We just failed with every facet of the game today. They’ve wanted it more in the last 15-20 minutes and that’s what hurts most.”

Brownlie apologised to the fans who travelled to Stoneham.

“The frustration of it it’s the FA Cup and you want to do well in that and you have these memorable moments and they have been few and far between for me, I think I’ve had one occasion where as a coach we got in sniffing distance of the first round proper but they don’t come round very often," Brownlie added. 

'Stoke face Beaconsfield Town on Saturday, September 9, away from home. Kick off 3pm.