ASHLEIGH Artwell and George Bennett scored their first goals of the season as Basingstoke Town booked their place in the last four of the Hampshire Senior Cup with a 2-0 win over AFC Stoneham.

However, the main talking point of the game was the double sending off after 34 minutes. This was an innocuous handball led to Stoneham's Matt Palmer throwing the ball into the face of Matt Partridge, who was then dismissed with Palmer for an attempted head butt.

By this time the Dragons had already roared into the lead thanks to Artwell's goal after 15 minutes.

This was after the midfielder reacted first when Stoneham goalkeeper Sam Whieldon dropped the ball following Aaron Jarvis' header.

Moments later, the visitors from the Wessex League Division One, who gave a good account of themselves, could have equalised, but Jack Brady was denied by the legs of Alex Tokarczyk.

Town created the next good chance as Aaron Redford headed just wide after a nice ball in from Mark Hastings, playing at right back, after he was found by the impressive Dan Collier.

Just before the break, Artwell is denied a second goal by a great save from Sam Whieldon.

Michael Atkinson replaced the injured Sam Deadfield for the start of the second-half, which saw the visitors have a couple of early free-kicks, one of which, off the head of Olly Forbe looped over the home goalkeeper and back off the crossbar.

Jarvis, who must have covered every blend of grass in the game, fired just wide, before Tokarczyk was again called into action to save from Bray.

The introduction of a second Town sub Nana Owusu causes all sorts of problems for the visitors and he twice sees deflected shots go just wide.

In the 77th minute, Jarvis was denied by another good save and then the lively former Tadley man Ashley Ledger went close for Stoneham.

Town finally got their deserved second goal as Bennett ran out of defence and found Jarvis.

The striker managed to get the ball back to Bennett, who had continued his run, and the left back fired the ball across the visitors goalkeeper with seven minutes left.

Stoneham minutes later nearly opened their account, but Ben Clarke's shot deflected wide.

After this the home side kept possession to make sure of victory.

Town return to league action on Saturday when Dunstable are the visitors.