This was Basingstoke’s third match in a week and after the seven goals scored in the previous two matches, this match was almost bound to be goalless! A very young team, mixed with experienced players battled well against a physical and well drilled Camberley side and at the end of the match a draw was probably the right score.
 
Basingstoke started well and as with the last two previous matches looked to create chances with some good one touch football. However, it was Camberley that had the best of the early chances with their two front men causing the Basingstoke Town defence trouble. Midway through the first half, Basingstoke started to impose themselves on the hosts and Ollie Smith came very close to scoring but failed to keep his header down with the goal at this mercy. Soon afterwards Basingstoke was forced into an early change as Smith went over on his ankle and Rob Lang came on as replacement. Unfortunately injuries and restructuring then became the main theme of the game! At half time, the captain for the match and the main central defender in the team, Jake D’Anna, was forced off with another ankle injury and so a restructuring of the back line was required.
 
The start of the second half saw some good early chances go begging for Basingstoke but Camberley came back with chances of their own with only keeper Liam Hipple and last ditch tackling keeping them at bay. The game then developed into end to end attacks with both teams creating chances. Another ankle injury this time to winger Ollie Buckingham, forced more restructuring which meant that some players were playing out of position. In the last 10 minutes, Basingstoke had two very good shouts for a penalty turned down. First when Craig Lapper pressured a defender into a mistake and his touch saw him beat two players before being upended just inside the box. The second when Stuart Alexander skipped past two defenders on the by-line, but was forced off the ball illegally at Camberley’s third attempt to win the ball. Both were waved ‘play on’ by the referee. In all honesty though, to lose by a penalty would have been a harsh result for a good Camberley side.
 
Manager thoughts….. This was the third game in a very tough week of football. Even though this match didn’t result in a win, the players showed how they can battle and play in a disciplined manner. Even the best teams in the world have to play disciplined football to get results. (Look at Manchester United when Sir Alex Ferguson plays Wayne Rooney in a wide midfield position to counteract the opposition’s strengths!) What this result proved is that when necessary, players can fit into positions that they are unfamiliar with and still produce a good performance.  Over forty Academy players have now been used in these three preseason friendlies so far. The remaining games before the start of the season will see the team selections being more consistent as the final Basingstoke Town Academy Squad is established.

Ollie Buckingham, Rob Lang, Adam Lewis, Liam Hipple, Lee Allen, Jack Nunn, Jake D’Anna,  Stuart Alexander, Ollie Smith, Tol Sotonye, Arnie Wilson, Simon Dunn, Ross Stringer, Craig Lapper, Duncan Cleary, Toby Sharpe.



Basingstoke Town Youth Academy next friendlies are against Salisbury Town at Hatches Farm Sports Ground, West Wallow - Nr. Romsey on Thursday 14th August  (KO 6.30pm) and Bracknell Town at Basingstoke Town Colts Ground on Thursday 21st August (KO 6.30pm)