It was victory for Dan Brownlie’s side, as the ‘Stoke beat Ross White’s Sholing two nil to lift the cup at Snows Stadium.
Basingstoke Town have joined Havant & Waterlooville and Cowes sport to become joint second in the most amount of Hampshire Senior Cups, only behind Southampton, lifting their 9th title.
Head Coach Dan Brownlie has also won the competition for a second time with the club, winning the competition at Fratton Park in 2023
Sholing came into the final having never won the cup before, and have now made it four unsuccessful finals in the competition, and still no silverware for Director of Football Paul Doswell.
AFC Totton’s Snows Stadium hosted yesterday’s final, with good turnouts from both sets of fans with those from Basingstoke travelling down the M3, and the Sholing faithful making the short journey across the city of Southampton to Totton.
The Final started as a cagey affair, with neither side risking themselves in the game, and it took over 20 minutes for Boatmen to record the first shot of the game. Star attacking players that had been pointed out before the start of the game, Michael Folivi with 17 goals for Sholing, and relatively new signing Joe Grant for Basingstoke were kept quiet at the start of the game.
However, as the half progressed on, Basingstoke left winger Robbie Gallagher was causing problems for the Boatmen, and after an earlier dive in the box wasn’t given, Gallagher was taken down by right-back Sam Magri in the Box. Oriole Bello would slot the penalty under goalkeeper Jack Turner’s right hand side to give ‘Town a one nil lead into half-time.
Second half action kicked off with a Sholing side on the front foot, creating multiple chances. The Boatmen thought they’d found an equaliser as James Roberts tipped his cross in to be saved by Simon Grant in goal, and Folivi failing to convert on the rebound.
Sholing had another golden opportunity when Vinnie Tume was put in behind on the left hand side, only for his shot to be saved by Grant who kept Basingstoke Town in the lead.
Despite the constant pressure in the first 15 minutes of the half, Bello was put in through on goal after beating Sholing’s Harry Taylor to the ball. Bello would have his first chance saved by Turner, but scored the rebound to double the ‘Stoke’s lead in the 61st minute.
Tension from both camps would rise throughout the rest of the game, with a number of hard-hitting tackles from both sets of players, in what felt a surprise that no one had been sent off.
In the end, it was Sholing coming short chance after chance with Basingstoke seeing out the rest of the final and secure the cup.
Basingstoke and Sholing both return to Southern League Premier South action this Saturday, with the ‘Stoke taking on Hanwell Town away, and the Boatmen travelling to Dorchester with a chance of making the playoffs and a chance for promotion.
In a Solent University take over of the game, students from a number of courses all played their role in providing broadcast of the final live on Youtube, and punditry from a man known for his involvement in cup competitions, Wayne Shaw.
