Basingstoke Town narrowly lose to Taunton despite late goals

In front of a crowd of more than 600, with the travelling ’Stoke support providing much of the noise, the afternoon seemed to contain several seasons. Torrential rain swept across the ground, bright sunshine followed and, on the pitch, despair gradually gave way to belief.

Taunton were three goals ahead inside 19 minutes. Alfie Moulden opened the scoring after five, controlling a square pass from the right before finishing accurately. Jack Rice then converted a penalty after Sol Ceesay was judged to have nudged Ben Seymour inside the area, although there appeared very little in the contact.

Two minutes later, a cross from the left travelled through to Jay Murray in space at the back post. His controlled volley found the corner and left Basingstoke facing a formidable deficit.

'Stoke fought until the end (Image: Phil Talhadas)

The response was immediate. Christos Papakonstantinou reached the byline and pulled the ball back intelligently for Tom Blake, who finished clinically into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit after 22 minutes.

Joe O’Loughlin subsequently created room to shoot inside the Taunton penalty area, only to see his effort deflected wide. At the other end, Scott Robinson lifted the ball over Simon Grant before Seymour touched it into the net from an offside position. Seymour was then presented with an open goal from a low ball across the six-yard box but somehow failed to connect.

Basingstoke’s task became harder in the 39th minute. Ceesay stretched to make a last-ditch challenge and was adjudged to have fouled his opponent as he advanced towards goal. Already cautioned, the defender was shown a second yellow card and dismissed.

There was no collapse from the ten men. Instead, ’Stoke emerged for the second half with greater control, greater purpose and a determination that was recognised and amplified by their vocal support.

Blake tested Freddie Godden from distance, while Grant saved low from Robinson. Taunton restored their three-goal advantage in the 62nd minute when Grant stopped an initial effort from the edge of the box, but Murray reacted first to force home the rebound.

Grant denied Seymour from a tight angle before Bernie Tanner sent a long-range attempt skidding towards the near post, drawing an excellent save from Godden. Taunton threatened on the counterattack, Murray bringing another stop from Grant, but increasingly it was the ten men carrying the greater attacking menace.

Miles Obodo and Blake both had low shots saved at the near post before Basingstoke struck again in the 75th minute. Jeremiah Okine-Peters drove the counterattack forward and released Obodo, who guided a superb first-time finish beyond Godden.

Obodo soon had the ball in the net again following a move down the left, only to be ruled offside. Basingstoke did not allow that disappointment to slow them. Three minutes after their second goal, Okine-Peters squared the ball into the area and Blake slammed it home for his second of the afternoon.

At 4–3, the noise came from Basingstoke and the momentum belonged to Basingstoke. Taunton, so clinical during the opening stages, were suddenly clinging to their advantage against opponents playing with ten men.

The comeback came agonisingly close to being completed. Obodo unleashed a fierce long-range effort which Godden somehow managed to tip against the post. Alex Solomon also tested the goalkeeper with a low shot as ’Stoke continued pushing until the end.

Basingstoke left Somerset without the result their second-half performance deserved, but with their resilience beyond question. Three goals down after 19 minutes, reduced to ten before half-time and trailing 4–1 after 62, they still made Taunton fight desperately for the final whistle.

The damage had been inflicted during a punishing opening period. Everything that followed, however, belonged to a Basingstoke side who refused to accept that the afternoon was already lost.