A goal in each half from Neville Roach was enough to condemn City to only their second away defeat of the season.

City’s starting line-up showed only one change from Saturday’s victory at Thurrock, Josh Simpson replacing Rob Miller.

Due to problems on the M25, the team bus arrived at Basingstoke’s Camrose ground only twenty minutes before the scheduled start time. City were allowed an extra 15 minutes to warm up but it was far from an ideal preparation for such an important game. City showed distinct signs of “coach lag” as the home side bossed the opening ten minutes although a clearance from Lee Chaffey that canoned off an opponent and forced Duncan Roberts to get down quickly, was all they had to show for a busy opening.

Carl Williams provided City’s first attacking threat as he got the better of Brett Cooper wide on the right, his teasing cross was repelled with a diving header from Liam Parrington. Richard Scott returned the ball to the danger area where Dave Sadler battled to find an opening, forcing Scott Tarr in the home goal to block at the foot of his post at the expense of a corner. Soon after, City were awarded a free-kick just outside the Basingstoke area. Daniel Talbot demonstrated his ability with a dead ball by forcing Tarr into a superb full length stop to prevent the ball from sneaking in under the bar.

City kept pushing forward and Josh Simpson played a great through ball to release Sadler on the left. He struck an early cross into the box, Robbie Simpson looked favourite to reach it but as Tarr rushed out, the striker appeared to take his eye off the ball and it sped past unmolested.

With sixteen minutes on the clock City were left cursing their luck as Williams saw his shot strike the frame of the goal. Josh Simpson was again involved as he picked up a weak clearance before slipping the ball inside to Williams who’s 30 yarder sailed over Tarr who was left stranded on the six yard line, however, the ball struck the bar and rebounded into the startled keeper’s hands.

Basingstoke, who up to this point had not produced much offensively, finally registered their first effort on goal when Martin Whiddet produced a 25 yard snap shot that sailed wide of the target. Almost immediately the shot tally was doubled as Sergio Torres surged forward and struck a shot over Roberts’ crossbar.

City could have been forgiven for thinking this might not be their night when in the 25th minute they struck the woodwork for a second time. Talbot’s jinking run saw him beat two defenders before laying the ball into the path of Josh Simpson. The Academy midfielder quickly weighed up his options and struck an unstoppable swerving drive past the dive of Tarr only to see it strike the angle of post and crossbar and bounce away to safety.

The home side were given a sight of goal when Matt Langston brought down Neville Roach just outside the area. Torres stepped up to take the free-kick but his well struck effort simply thumped into the chest of Roberts for a comfortable save. City hit back and Talbot only just failed to take the ball with him as Sadler attempted a lay-off after holding the ball on the edge of the area.

The City rearguard had looked comfortable in dealing with Basingstoke’s attacking ambitions, but there was a brief moment of alarm eight minutes from the break when Nathan Stamp’s searching cross reared up off the surface at Craig Pope. Unable to control the ball he could only surrender possession to Torres, fortunately the City full-back recovered to divert the midfielder’s subsequent effort behind for a corner. From the resulting flag kick, Jason Bristow headed wide.

With three minutes of the half remaining, City were dealt a heavy blow. Sadler limped off with a groin strain to join fellow strikers Jon Stevenson and Paul Fewings on the injury list, another Academy player, Adam Smith, taking his place. The loss of Sadler was bad enough but two minutes later things got worse. There seemed no danger as Roach picked up the ball some 20 yards out from goal, although making progress into the City area, the striker was surrounded by three defenders but a rash challenge by Chaffey gifted the home side the opportunity to take the lead and this they did, Roach himself sending Roberts the wrong way from the spot.

With City looking a bit sorry for themselves, Basingstoke were quickly on the attack as the second period got underway, with only two minutes on the clock, Roach lifted a dipping shot just over the bar, then ten minutes later repeated the feat with a carbon copy effort, neither time did Roberts look likely to be called into action.

City could and should have drawn level on the hour. Roberts had no trouble in plucking Bristow’s header from a Torres corner out of the air, berfore instantly launching a booming clearance downfield chased energetically by Smith. Home defender, Brett Cooper failed to deal with the bouncing ball and Tarr, racing from his line, completely missed it presenting Smith with a empty goal, but the youngster failed to find the target from 18 yards, lifting the ball over the bar.

Stamp wasted a good chance for the home side when he placed a weak shot wide of the goal after Roach had out muscled Langston before laying the ball perfectly into the wingers path. That miss was soon forgotten as Basingstoke doubled their advantage two minutes later. Torres swung a corner kick into the area, Bristow got above Langston to head goalwards and there was Roach on hand three yards out to flick the ball home past a helpless Roberts.

I good chance to halve the deficit came not long after as Bristow’s short pass was siezed upon by Robbie Simpson, he played in Talbot on the left, the Rushden & Diamonds loanee sprinting into the box before seeing his shot blocked by Tarr who was quickly out to meet him.

With time running out the breakthough did eventually come. Josh Simpson, who was superb all night, set-up his namesake Robbie who’s low drive was parried by Tarr. Simpson retrieved the ball, laying it back to substitute Lee Summerscales who’s cross was volleyed home from close range by Williams. Suddenly game on.

With the scent of an equaliser in their nostrils there was increased vigour in City’s game, suddenly there was only one team in it as passes began to flow and the pressure on the home goal mount. With two minutes of normal time remaining, the Basingstoke goal again led a charmed life. Talbot whipped in a free-kick, Fuff got across Tarr who missed the ball which bounced goalwards. With City shirts flying in from all angles trying to force it home, Parrington somehow managed to head it off the line, the clearance completed by Tarr swatting the ball behind.

Unfortunately, try as they might, City could not find the leveller and a Talbot free-kick deep in injury time that Tarr grabbed out of the night air was the final action. The referee blew to bring to an end a unrewarding and unlimately frustrating night for The Lilywhites.