Basingstoke Town saw off Uxbridge on Saturday, winning 3-2 at the Winklebury Football Complex – to continue their 100 per cent winning start to 2023 and secure their 15th victory in a row.

‘Stoke had come out on top in the sides’ two previous league meetings – winning 1-2 and 0-2 at Honeycroft in West London. The most recent victory came in late October, when a brace from now-Watford striker Ezio Touray sealed all three points. Basingstoke had never beaten Uxbridge at Winklebury, however, with the only previous meeting at the ground ending in a 1-1 draw in 2021.

The game began quickly, with the league leaders immediately working the ball into dangerous areas and squandering some early half-chances. They did take the lead just 14 minutes in, however, through academy graduate Brody Peart.

Left-back Callum Winchcombe was fouled as he broke into the Uxbridge half, resulting in a free-kick on the left-side of the box. Peart stood over the ball and noticed an opportunity to catch out goalkeeper Tyler Tobin, who was expecting a cross into the middle. The youngster executed his plan perfectly, curling into the bottom-left corner for his fifth league goal of the season. (1-0)

Despite taking the early lead, Basingstoke weren’t at their very best and the visitors almost took advantage of that just minutes after the opening goal. Powerful forward Anthony Mendy bustled his way past Scott Armsworth and, after a miskick from the central defender, noticed goalkeeper Paul Strudley was off his line. The Uxbridge No.10 tried his luck with an audacious chip from range, but Strudley did well to recover and tip the ball onto the crossbar acrobatically.

The balance of play remained fairly even, and neither side really had a clear sight of goal until around ten minutes from half-time, when Brody Peart doubled the ‘Stoke lead. Top scorer Brad Wilson played a clever pass out to Michael Atkinson, who had made an intelligent burst down the left flank.

The defensive midfielder slid a low cross into the middle, which wasn’t dealt with by Uxbridge centre-back Andy O’Brien, and Peart was on hand to capitalise by turning home his second goal of the game – the winger’s first league brace since mid-November, when he put two past Tooting & Mitcham. (2-0)

Just 30 seconds after the restart, Basingstoke looked to have wrapped the game up before the break – thanks to a Brody Peart first-half hat-trick. With right-back Joshua Andrew caught in an unnaturally high position on the pitch, Brad Wilson used his pace to his advantage.

He drove at centre-back Sean McGuinness, who had come across to cover the space, and simply knocked the ball past Uxbridge’s No.4 before cleverly playing an early ball across to Peart – who is far from short of speed himself. The Basingstoke-born talent stooped a header on target, which managed to squirm its way through Tobin’s legs, and Brody Peart is unlikely to have a simpler finish all season. (3-0)

The tap-in completed the youngster’s first hat-trick of his professional career and, upon the ball’s arrival in the back of the net, he darted across to celebrate with his family.

‘Stoke went into half-time well in control of the match, but were far more reserved in the second period and spent a large portion of the half defending in and around their own box. With around half an hour to play, the visitors sewed a seed of doubt in the Basingstoke players’ heads.

Aaron Minhas headed into the ground from a corner and forced Strudley into a low, reaction save – which he could only push into the crowd of bodies attacking the set piece. Lewis Patrick was the quickest to react, and he volleyed home to give Uxbridge hope. (3-1)

The pressure continued for the remainder of the game, and the away side managed to pull a second goal back in the penultimate minute of the 90 – through Anthony Mendy. The forward opened his body up and curled an impressive finish into the far-right corner, to make for a nervy five minutes of stoppage time. (3-2)

You could feel the tension around the Winklebury Football Complex in the closing moments of the match, but the over-riding relief was also palpable at full-time, when Basingstoke confirmed their 20th win in 21 games.

The result keeps the lead at the top of the table at four points, with second-placed Walton & Hersham hammering Binfield 5-1 in their game, just two weeks before the sides face each other in the ultimate title showdown.

‘Stoke are back at Winklebury next Saturday, when they take on fifth-placed Hanworth Villa. Match 25 is the annual ‘Non-League Day’, so it is the perfect opportunity to come and get behind your local team, as the crowds continue to rise.