In what was a very wet and windy affair at Stoneham Lane, AFC Stoneham looked to build on a positive 6-1 result against Shaftesbury in midweek as they faced a strong Bashley side. Coming on the back of a 3-2 win in the Wessex League Cup against Newport, Bashley's travelling away support were expecting an entertaining match. AFC Stoneham started with only one change from Tuesday night’s fixture as Pip Nolan came in for Craig Hunt as a straight swap at centre back.
AFC Stoneham Line Up
Tom Parker-Trott
Arty Kerton
Will Wiseman
Pip Nolan
Ben Clarke
Mat Bainbridge
Marcel Laptas
Alex Welch
Cal Laycock
Duarte Martins
Scott Hills
Bashley Line Up
Harry Grant
Jamie Webber
Jack Smith
Liam Farrugia
Brad Strickland
Lewis Ross
Harry Bunce
Brad Morris
Conor Whiteley
Harry Morgan
Harley McGrath
The game began with Stoneham dominating the early exchanges. With their 4-4-1-1 formation, the home side adopted a more direct approach despite the swirling winds and the first half-chance fell to the Purps from a Pip Nolan long throw. His powerful launch, teamed with the strong wind, led to a scramble in the Bashley six yard box, resulting in strong appeals for handball but the threat was ultimately cleared by a melee of relieved defenders. Almost instantly, a whipped Martins corner looked set to fly into the far corner directly until it was tipped over by Grant in the Bashley goal. With Stoneham in the ascendancy, a sweeping counter attack from Martins, Laptas and Laycock opened up space for Hills on the left, but as the ball got out to him the Bashley full-back blatantly tripped him up just inside the box. Hills stepped up himself and kept his 100% penalty record this season by expertly slotting it past Harry Grant. As the Purps' confidence grew, Duarte Martins created more chances, including having his own shot blocked from 22 yards and Hills’ volley inches away from being turned in at the far post by Laycock. Stoneham were starting to be more ruthless with their possession and when a defence-splitting pass from Bainbridge skidded across the ground straight to Laycock, it was a first time pass to Duarte Martins and he finished easily into the open goal to extend the lead. Really taking the game by the scruff of the neck now, the Martins-Laycock partnership combined again when Laycock got the ball to feet and used the weather conditions in his favour to hit an around-the-corner pass with his left foot and it fell perfectly into Martins’ stride and he finished past Grant to make it 3-0, and cue the Ronaldo celebration. Bashley had their first real attack of the half in the 37th minute when a good run and cross by Bunce was headed wide by Whiteley from 8 yards out. To top off the first half, Stoneham finished it in the way they had started with a set piece resulting in a goalmouth scramble. This time, however, it was a Duarte Martins whipped free kick that just avoided Laycock’s head and was scrambled away to safety.
In the second half, the conditions worsened with the swirling winds getting stronger as more spectators moved to the cover of the stand. The away side dominated spells and had more possession from the start and throughout, although were unable to do much with it, only getting in down the left on several occasions but were met with accomplished defending. Stoneham were always a threat on the counter attack with the pace of Marcel Laptas and Scott Hills looking to get in behind not the fastest of defences. Chances weren’t that regular and Bashley had the first one with Bunce’s cross dealt with by an aware Parker-Trott. 20 minutes into the half, a Duarte Martin’s corner was met at the back post for a free header by Will Wiseman to make it 4-0. Just 3 minutes later, AFC Stoneham welcomed Nathan Clements back to make his first appearance of the season as he replaced the hard-working Marcel Laptas and it also saw Woodward replace Laycock, who had a cracking game. 9 minutes from the end, a ball from midfield found Woodward, who didn’t have to change his stride after his timed-to-perfection run, resulted in his shot being saved only into the path of Clements, who got his 1st of the season and Stoneham's fifth of the game. That was all for Duarte Martins, who had a very strong performance with 2 goals and an assist, as he was replaced by Matt Simm, in perhaps a more unusual role for him on the left hand side of midfield. Within the 10 minutes that Simm was on the field, he made a telling contribution with his many slide tackles. 5 minutes later, Clements’ darting run at the heart of the Bashley defence found an opening and he finished well to make it 6-0.
That was all at the Stoneham Lane Football Complex, as the Purps leapfrogged the visitors, rising to 7th in the table as they eagerly await a big game at home against Horndean on Tuesday night where they will look to build on back-to-back 6 goal games, while Bashley face Shaftesbury and will be looking for a big reaction.
UP THE PURPS!
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