United booked their passage into the first round proper of the Buildbase FA Trophy after overcoming Basingstoke on penalties at the Camrose stadium.
Dean Stow put Basingstoke into the lead in the 8th minute from the penalty spot. The referee decided that Shaun MacDonald had brought down Sam Smart after the lively forward had broken through United’s back line. Jamie Reid equalised two minutes later after Basingstoke failed to deal with a low ball into the box from Saikou Janneh.
United were unchanged for the match, with manager Gary Johnson opting for continuity over changes.
It didn’t take long for the opening goal to come. Sam Smart peeled off from United’s back line and the referee decided that United ‘keeper Shaun MacDonald had brought him down inside the box. Up stepped Dean Stow to fire into the top left corner.
United were level within moments. Saikou Janneh’s low ball caught Basingstoke out and Jamie Reid had space and time to find the bottom corner. It was a clinical finish from Reid who scored his fourteenth goal of the season.
The match on the whole was a scrappy affair, with United not being able to reach the high standards set against St Albans and Concord Rangers. The pitch didn’t help, but the team couldn’t mount sustained pressure on Basingstoke’s defence during the 90 minutes. Basingstoke remained a threat on the break through Sam Smart, Jack McKnight, and Sam Argent.
Goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald pulled of a fantastic save to keep the scores level just before the half-time break. A powerful free-kick was sent over the bar from an acrobatic save to his right.
Gary Johnson brought Opi Edwards on at half-time. He injected some urgency into United’s game and had a chance to put United into the lead in the 82nd minute. Fellow substitute Brett Williams fed him in on the right channel. Edwards looked likely to beat his man and finish but he ran out of space and hit the side netting.
Brett Williams and Jamie Reid tested McAdden further, and the ‘keeper pulled off some outstanding saves.
As the match became stretched Edwards went close again near the final whistle but his touch allowed Basingstoke ‘keeper Colm McAdden to come out and hurry him into shooting wide.
Edwards had to go off in extra-time and was replaced by Samir Nabi.
So it came to penalties, and United dispatched them with confidence. Jamie Reid, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, Liam Davis, Brett Williams, all scored from the spot. Mitchell Parker put his penalty over the bar. Jake Andrews held his nerve to send United through.
We would like top thank everyone that made the trip today to support the lads.
The draw for the first round of the Buildbase FA Trophy will be made on Monday, live on Talksport 2 from 2:30pm.
Basingstoke: 1 McAdden, Stow, Gerrard, Kennedy (c), Hollamby, Bayliss, Collier [Akers ET HT], McKnight, Argent [17 Wright 13′ ET], Deadfield, Smart [Parker 87′] SUBS NOT USED: 12 Philby, 14 Jim Orvis
Booked: Hollamby 16′
TUFC: 1 MacDonald, 2 Wynter, 3 Davis, 7 Keating [9 Williams 66′], 10 Saikou Janneh, 11 Lemonheigh-Evans, 15 Niate, 17 Cameron, 18 Andrews, 19 Reid, 20 Kalala [21 Edwards HT] 21 Edwards {14 Nabi 6′ ET] SUBS NOT USED: 6 Sendles-White, 13 Burton,
Referee: Wayne Cartmel
Attendance: