Taunton Town 4-3 Basingstoke Town - Peacocks beat 10-man side

Taunton Town were involved in another high-scoring thriller on Saturday (August 29) as they outscored Basingstoke Town.

The Peacocks raced into a 4-1 lead and looked very comfortable after Basingstoke were reduced to 10 men, but the visitors scored twice in the second half to make it a nervy finish but it finished 4-3.

Gary Johnson named an unchanged starting XI from the nine-goal thriller against Uxbridge last time out, but there was a change on the bench as Joe Jeremiah replaced Gabe Billington.

Taunton Town didn’t wait long to take the lead as Jay Murray was found on the right-hand side and the Basingstoke defender Billy Upton went down but Murray continued, found Jack Rice, who pulled the ball back to Alfie Moulden, who swept the ball into the corner of the net.

The Peacocks were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes as Ben Seymour was shoved to the ground in the box.

Sol Ceesay was booked for the foul.

Jack Rice sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and buried it into the bottom left corner.

On 19 minutes, it was 3-0 as a ball into the box was flicked on by Scott Robinson to an unmarked Jay Murray and he volleyed it into the opposite corner. 3-0.

Basingstoke pulled one back on 22 minutes as Christos got in behind and pulled the ball back to Tom Blake, who finished well. 3-1.

Taunton Town thought they had added to their lead when Scott Robinson chipped the advancing goalkeeper Simon Grant.

The ball seemed to be going in but Ben Seymour touched it over the line and the flag went up for offside.

Both sides missed chances at either end.

On 37 minutes, Seymour missed a sitter.

The ball came across the goal to the striker six yards out and he put it just wide with the goal gaping.

On 40 minutes, Basingstoke Town went down to 10 men as a long ball put Seymour away and Sol Ceesay pulled him down 25 yards from goal.

He was given a second yellow card and his marching orders.

From the resulting free kick, Jack Rice’s stinging low shot had to be saved.

At half time it was 3-1 to Taunton Town.

Basingstoke Town had the first shot on target of the second half as Tom Blake hit a shot from the edge of the box, but Godden saved comfortably down low.

On 58 minutes, Louis McGrory picked up the ball and hit a shot from the edge of the box, but it went wide.

At the other end, Seymour flicked on to Scott Robinson who got in down the right channel, but his shot was well saved.

Taunton Town added to their lead on 61 minutes as Dylan Jones was tenacious in his efforts to keep the ball in the Basingstoke Town box, and he laid it off and the shot was blocked and Jay Murray scored on the rebound.

4-1.

The visitors had another shot on goal on 68 minutes as substitute Bernie Tanner had a shot from range.

On the counter, Seymour hit a big cross-field pass to Jay Murray but the goalkeeper denied him a hat-trick.

From the resulting corner, Scott Robinson had a free header but couldn’t find the target.

Basingstoke Town had a couple cross-cum-shots from the right side, but both were easily gathered by Godden.

Then from 4-1 on 74 minutes, it went to 4-3 in 120 seconds.

Miles Obodo curled one in from the left side of the box and then Tom Blake slotted home to make it a nervy final 14 minutes plus stoppage time.

With 10 minutes to go, Taunton Town head of football Lloyd Irish, who is in the dugout as a member of the backroom staff and substitute goalkeeper, was sent off by the referee.

On 86 minutes, Godden had to get down low to block a long-range effort from 10-man Basingstoke Town.

A couple of minutes later, another ambitious long-range effort from the visitors went wide.

But Taunton Town held on until full time and won 4-3.