The visiting side kicked off the encounter and played the ball back into midfield and then to their right back. They then passed down the flank and into the Newbury half. Basingstoke clearly caught their hosts off guard, as the cross-field ball that was played to the edge of the area, resulted in a first shot at goal. The ball flew past the keeper and went in off the far post to give Basingstoke Town a very early one nil lead.

Stung by going a goal down within the first minute, Newbury quickly regained their composure and began to have some meaningful possession of their own, playing more in their opponents half. They steadied the ship and the score-line remained at one nil until the 24th minute, when Caroline Harkness tore through the midfield, before releasing Leanne Creese on the Newbury right. She sent in a good cross and Bex Walker was in the right place at the right time to send a looping shot above the Basingtoke keeper and into the roof of the net. It was a great team move, finished in style by Walker and it was a deserved equaliser.

Newbury were now well on top and Walker was involved again, helping to create the second goal, as Newbury took the lead just four minutes later. The cross into the penalty area again came from the right, which the visiting defence only half cleared to the lurking Walker. She controlled and then played a dinked pass back over the top to Ellie Reed. Her first time high shot was too good and gave the goalkeeper no chance, as the ball struck the underside of the bar, before rippling the back of the net.

The momentum in the match had definitely swung in Newbury’s favour, as they had stormed back after the early upset of conceding, to score two wonderful goals and take a 2-1 lead. Newbury continued to hold off any challenge from Basingstoke, with their new look defence of Lauren Hanson, Leanne Saunders, Naomi Purvis and Nicole Beesley, all giving outstanding performances. Not to mention the quality on show from Laura Ainscough, starting in goal for Newbury. And with Lorna Parr getting through a huge amount of work in the middle of the park, Newbury continued to battle well through to the half time break, keeping their one goal lead intact.

Despite the arrival at half time of regular number one, Chloe Hunt, Newbury returned for the start of the second half unchanged, with Ainscough continuing between the posts. Newbury had expected a Basingstoke onslaught after the re-start and so it proved. Hanson was alert early on to clear off her line, after Ainscough had been beaten by one effort. But then Ainscough pulled off a superb save, diving full length to her right to get a hand to one well struck shot and palm the ball around the post to safety.

Basingstoke were now forcing a number of corners and the pressure was certainly being cranked up. They found an equaliser in the 57th minute, after a cross into the box from the left, which they did well to scramble into the Newbury net from close range to level the match at 2-2. Having just conceded that was the signal for Newbury to make a tactical change with Hunt taking over the goalkeeping duties and with debutant Maria Rodrigues withdrawn. This allowed Ainscough to come onto the pitch and slot into Newbury’s midfield, which was not an altogether unfamiliar role. Straight away she added some extra steel and bite in the midfield battleground and Newbury were again able to stake a foothold in the game.

Basingstoke’s attacks were now less frequent and for Newbury, Harkness was a constant thorn in the Basingstoke side, as she continued to probe and bring a rhythm to Newbury’s play. As the match entered the last quarter of an hour, the pace was frenetic, with the play swinging from end to end, as both teams went in search of a winning goal. Basingstoke had one shot from distance that at first looked as if it would sail well over, but then dipped at the last moment and fortunately for Newbury, the ball could only clip the top of the crossbar, before deflecting safely over.

Instantly however, Newbury had another great chance, when Harkness picked up the ball in a central area and then drove strongly forward, evading two desperate Basingstoke challenges. As she edged to the right, she unleashed a shot from 25 yards, which would have had the keeper well beaten, but the ball swung agonisingly wide of the far post.

From the resulting goal kick, Basingstoke went straight down the other end and earned a corner. There then followed a huge moment of controversy. The corner was taken and swung into the box, forcing an outstanding double save from Hunt in the Newbury goal. But with the ball stick bobbling inside the six yard box, a Basingstoke player stabbed it over the line at the third attempt, only for the offside flag to be raised and the goal was disallowed, much to Newbury’s relief.

The scores remained tied at two apiece and Newbury were determined to hold on until the final whistle, ensuring that they would take something from the contest, which on paper at the start of the afternoon, looked to be against the odds. Every Newbury player battled valiantly, giving full commitment to the cause and they saw out the game superbly, even coming through five minutes of additional time.

And so against a Basingstoke side that they had never previously taken any points from in any previous encounters, Newbury recorded a morale boosting 2-2 draw, which saw them move one place further up the Southern Region Premier Division table.