Having taken only two points from their previous five games, Basingstoke Town reignited their hopes of Conference South survival with a one-nil win at Cambridge City on Saturday.
Manager Francis Vines, still without right back Steve Dell (calf injury) welcomed back Matt Warner who missed the Lewes game with a groin strain but, despite Warners public assertions about his fitness, chose to start him on the bench, with Luke Townsend playing down the left flank, and reluctant winger Cristian Levis again asked to play down the right.
In fairness to both Vines and Levis, the Argentinean made more impact than of late in the position, though the manager seemed audibly less than impressed on occasions.
Vines also welcomed back Anthony Storey, who had been ineligible under the terms of his signing to play against Lewes, his former Club. Storey confirmed the promise of his Newport debut with another influential playmaking display in the centre of the park.
The sides seemed evenly matched in the first half, with Cambridges Lee Roaches and Michael Gash keeping Stuart Searle busy in the early stages.
Basingstoke had plenty of possession, but could only manage hopeful shots from distance. The lively Carl Gibbs probably gave the home side the most problems in the opening 45 minutes
Just before half time, a Searle howler almost cost Basingstoke dearly. Searle fumbled a high cross, but fortunately Joe Dolan was on hand to prevent an own goal.
In the second half, Cambridge, already fairly safe on 43pts and with ground worries on their mind, seemed to take their foot off the pedal and Basingstoke took control of the match.
Townsend should have scored, but scuffed his shot from six yards out after being set up by James Taylor.
Storey also had a thunderous shot from distance parried by Danny Naisbett, the Cambridge keeper., while Warner, who came on on the right for Cristian Levis and then later switched left flank after Dean Lodge was introduced, had a low effort saved by Naisbett.
It was starting to look as if an entertaining, but goalless, final score line was on the cards until, in the 87th minute, David Ray took a quick free kick to release Lodge on the right.
Lodge whipped in a telling cross, which was nodded back across the goal from the far post by Robbie Watkins.
The ball fell to Scott Fitzgerald (who had come on for Carl Gibbs) and Fitzgerald finally showed the class expected of a man who, just four years earlier, had been scoring for Watford in the Championship.
In a flash, Fitzgerld controlled the ball and turned on a sixpence only for Taylor to whip the ball into the net from literally the end of Fitzgeralds toe.
It was Taylors 16th league goal of the season (and 18th in all), but it had Made In Scott-land written all over it, and the ex-Watford striker can take heart from it.
Basingstoke then held on for the final whistle to the jubilation of the travelling support, joy which was promptly diluted by news that Hayes had also won, rendering Basingstokes task as difficult as before kick-off.
Basingstoke (4-4-2) Searle; Ray, Bristow, Dolan, Watkins; Levis (Warner 57), Surey, Storey, Townsend (Lodge 73); Gibbs (Fitzgerald 73), Taylor. Subs not used: Minton, Howell. |
