Having had 2 home defeats the home crowd were on the backs of their players when they failed to make headway early on as Stoke started brightly. The visitors matched their hosts and had the better of the early exchanges. The home side forced the first corner on 8 minutes. At the other end Lovegrove ran well down the left and his cross took a deflection for what should have been a corner but the referee awarded a goal kick. Kitteridge was forced into the first save on 13 minutes as he comfortably collected from Nightingale. Town had a scare on 15 minutes as Kitteridge was forced to come out to the approaching Havant forward who pulled his shot across goal and the danger was cleared. 3 minutes later the visitors thought they had taken the lead, Faulkner finding the net following good work from Lovegrove, Tucknott and Jombarti but the official had blown for an infringement against the visitors. As the visitors had the better of the first quarter of the match Lovegrove and Faulkner were again involved in a promising Stoke move, Williamson joining in and spreading the play to Tucknott, the Hawks keeper claiming the ball before Tucknott could get a foot on it. Tucknott and Scriven were involved in a bit of "handbags at dawn" which resulted in both being spoken to by referee Atkin.

Disaster was to strike for Stoke on 24 minutes as the hosts had a throw in deep in the attacking half, Matt Gray found himself in space and unleashed a shot giving Kitteridge no chance. Stoke responded on the half hour with Scrivens coming out of his box to clear with Tucknott bearing down on him, this time there was no clash. The home side were now growing in confidence and progressing down the flanks but the crosses were easily claimed by the Stoke keeper. Tucknott and Lovegrove had a brief spell where they swapped wings but reverted to their normal sides. The home side had a throw in at 36 minutes, flicked on and Watkins shot over from inside the 6 yard box. At the other end Jombarti, Williamson and Faulkner combined in some neat play setting up Gibbs whose shot was deflected for a throw in near the right corner flag. The hosts went in at half time with a 1-0 lead, the play had been fairly even but would claim the lead on the basis of creating slightly more goal scoring opportunities.

What a difference the second half, the visitors failing to turn up and collapsing early on. On 48 minutes, the ball came to Craig Watkins who pulled the ball back for Poate, who blasted over from 20 yards. Havant won a corner in the 50th minute, again Craig Watkins rose and was first to the ball, but headed over the bar. At the other end, Faulkner received the ball and chose to shoot from distance, a weak shot easily saved. On 51 minutes, after some poor defending by the visitors, Poate made it 2-0. From the restart, Stoke lost posession and were immediately under pressure, and the game was finished as a contest in the 53rd minute, when Havant were awarded a penalty in what appeared to be a dubious decision by the referee. It seemed to have been that the ball was taken in the tackle, but Luke Nightingale dispatched the penalty. 5 minutes later, Nightingale was substituted, and Jamie Slabber was introduced. The visitors' heads had completely dropped by now as a Collins cross was dropped by Kitteridge, into his own net. 3 minutes later the visitors were in disarray once more, with Havant almost adding a 5th. On 67 minutes, Stoke made a substitution with an injury to Aiden Lewis, and David Tarpey came on.

The home team, after an indifferent start to the season, were now beginning to enjoy the afternoon , as Gray sent a long ball forward that Poate could not quite convert into a goalscoring opportunity. With 18 minutes left, the home side brought on Shaun Wilkinson to replace Jay Smith. A throw in near the right corner flag forced Watkins to concede a corner. Stoke now were struggling and it was Faulkner who headed away the danger from the corner. Kitteridge was now punching and flapping, and on 75 minutes, the ball again went through his hands into the net, but was ruled offside. Stoke immediately lost possession again and Matt Gray fired in a shot that struck Kitteridge's left post and rebounded out along the goal line to safety . On 76 minutes, the home side replaced 9 Craig Watkins with 14 Charlie Henry, and 2 minutes later the visitors also replaced their no 9 Jamie Faulkner, for their no 14 Phil Ruggles. The home side again came close to scoring when Poate set up Henry and Kitteridge saved at the near post with his legs. With 10 minutes to go a rare venture into the other end for the visitors saw a free kick from Williamson easily collected by the home keeper. Back at the other end, Kitteridge made a save low down from a header by Gray. 6 minutes from time substitute Charlie Henry let fly a missile from outside the box, on the left side of the field, the PA announcer declaring this to be a contender for goal of the season.

Consolation came for the visitors in injury time, a Tarpey corner headed on , met by Ruggles at the far post to direct into the net.

Basingstoke: Kitteridge, Lewis (Tarpey 68mins), Watkins, Bristow, Hankin, Gibbs, Tucknott, Williamson, Faulkner (Ruggles 78mins), Jombarti, Lovegrove. subs not used; Waller, Amable, Ogunbote.

Attendance 632, Man of the match Matt Gray.