Post by btfc Supporters Club on Dec 4, 2023 17:39:00 GMT
Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Hungerford Town
When: Tuesday 5th December 2023 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Hungerford Town (Crusaders ), Avg 2023-24 Home Att 347
Following back-to-back defeats in the league, the tough matches come thick and fast as we host yet another improving team in Hungerford, tomorrow evening.
The last time we played Hungerford Town was at the Camrose in an FA Cup qualifying match in September 2016, losing one-nil via a penalty conversion by one Stefan Brown.
Our Opponents
The Crusaders are managed by former Thatcham Town boss Danny Robinson, who had five successful seasons with the Kingfishers, which included them winning the FA Vase in 2018.
Hungerford’s recent form has picked up and they are unbeaten in their last eight league games and sit in an impressive sixth place, with an overall record of Pld 19 Won 8 Drawn 6 Lost 5, with 30pts. Their thirty points the same as fifth place AFC Totton who have a better goal difference. Their away record stands at 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses, but are unbeaten in their last three trips on the road.
Their leading goalscorer is forward Conor McDonagh, who has nineteen goals on the season, fourteen in the league. McDonagh, has played for clubs such as Oxford City, Banbury Utd & Swindon Supermarine who he joined the club from back in July. Welsh born Midfielder Elis Watts has added eleven goals on the season. Watts, has been on loan at a number of clubs such as Aldershot, Farnborough & joined from Weston-Super-Mare.
They also recently added Cheltenham Town midfielder Adulai Sambu on a season-long loan and he has added four league goals. Other midfielders include Sam De St Croix, aged 28, has added three goals recently, and previously played at Bognor Regis. Jack Alexander is a midfielder who can also play at the back, and has played for clubs such as Eastleigh, Swindon Supermarine & Thatcham Town, before joining from North Leigh. Central midfielder Brad Hooper (29), played over 200 games for Swindon Supermarine, before joining Cirencester, then joining the Crusaders in June.
In defence they have re-signed former Crusader Baboucarr Jarra, who we have come up against before when he played for Thatcham Town. Rhys Taylor (31), has had a strange path to get to Hungerford, after being part of Reading’s youth academy he then played for German 3rd division side FC Rot-Weib Erfut, and then signed for Hungerford 2015 has been instrumental in their success since arriving. Ramarni Medford-Smith, was a Reading youth product, and before joining Hungerford, he played for the likes of Bracknell, Farnborough & Marlow. Matthew Barry-Hargreaves, is a product from Hungerford’s academy, was signed by Oxford Utd, but rejoined the Crusaders for the 2018-19 season and has been an ever present in the team since then.
In goal will be Ryan Clarke, who started his career at Bristol Rovers, and has played for other football league clubs such as Oxford Utd, Southend and AFC Wimbledon, before joining from Bath City this season.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
For the forty-five minutes of Saturday’s game against Sholing, we looked the better team, and although we led by the Liam Ferdinand goal, we failed to take other chances as we went into the break. Yes we had lots of second-half possession and a number of half-chances that weren’t taken, but the error at the back gave Sholing the incentive to push forward, which they did and they looked dangerous every time they were in and around our penalty area.
Our league record now stands at Pld 20 Won 7 Drawn 3 Lost 10 GF 38 GA 46 with 24pts. With Dan Rowe missing last Saturday and tomorrow night, in the hope he’s available for the Beaconsfield game four days later, it looks like Liam Ferdinand & Bradley Wilson will lead the attack. Stefan Brown, who was an unused Substitute Saturday, could earn a place depending on how we set-up tomorrow night. George Reid who made a successful second-half appearance may again be eased back one more time, so could well be an option of the bench. There’s also James Clark who could be intention for a place likely off the bench.
The midfield will be an area that Manager Dan Brownlie, will have to decide if he wants to risk Simon Dunn starting or leaving him on the bench for this game. As stated in my last preview, Michael Atkinson is a perfect option to wear the captain’s armband if not. Paul Hodges, who may be a little disappointed he did not take one of the few chances that came along against Sholing, will look to put things right, and does a lot more than just score goals. D’Andre Brown should also earn a starting place in the middle.
With us having played a back five in recent games, it may be time to revert back to a back-four now that some of our starting defenders are returning to match fitness. This should hopefully strengthen an area that needs improving having conceded forty-six goals in just twenty league games. Callum Winchcombe is still one or two games away from starting, so Kai Hobbs & Marcus Johnson-Schuster look to be the starting defensive backs. The centre-back roles whether two or three, needs further decision making by our Manager. Alfie Grant who has been a more than solid replacement for Billy Upton, picked up a slight knock, but hopefully he is available tomorrow. Billy Upton, who replaced Alfie will be pushing to start alongside Scott Armsworth. Does this mean Nathan Smart will revert back to the bench, only Dan & his management staff will know that.
Paul Strudley continues to defy all odds at his age, but he will be looking to make-up for his error Saturday, whilst I’m not sure of Mark Scott’s latest situation.
Many fans felt the three consecutive home games, would give us the kick-start to push us back-up the table, and although the loss to Sholing was a set-back, a win tomorrow night would be a useful start against a tough Hungerford Town side, who will come looking for blood.
Match Preview by Martin French..
Basingstoke Town vs Hungerford Town
When: Tuesday 5th December 2023 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Hungerford Town (Crusaders ), Avg 2023-24 Home Att 347
Following back-to-back defeats in the league, the tough matches come thick and fast as we host yet another improving team in Hungerford, tomorrow evening.
The last time we played Hungerford Town was at the Camrose in an FA Cup qualifying match in September 2016, losing one-nil via a penalty conversion by one Stefan Brown.
Our Opponents
The Crusaders are managed by former Thatcham Town boss Danny Robinson, who had five successful seasons with the Kingfishers, which included them winning the FA Vase in 2018.
Hungerford’s recent form has picked up and they are unbeaten in their last eight league games and sit in an impressive sixth place, with an overall record of Pld 19 Won 8 Drawn 6 Lost 5, with 30pts. Their thirty points the same as fifth place AFC Totton who have a better goal difference. Their away record stands at 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses, but are unbeaten in their last three trips on the road.
Their leading goalscorer is forward Conor McDonagh, who has nineteen goals on the season, fourteen in the league. McDonagh, has played for clubs such as Oxford City, Banbury Utd & Swindon Supermarine who he joined the club from back in July. Welsh born Midfielder Elis Watts has added eleven goals on the season. Watts, has been on loan at a number of clubs such as Aldershot, Farnborough & joined from Weston-Super-Mare.
They also recently added Cheltenham Town midfielder Adulai Sambu on a season-long loan and he has added four league goals. Other midfielders include Sam De St Croix, aged 28, has added three goals recently, and previously played at Bognor Regis. Jack Alexander is a midfielder who can also play at the back, and has played for clubs such as Eastleigh, Swindon Supermarine & Thatcham Town, before joining from North Leigh. Central midfielder Brad Hooper (29), played over 200 games for Swindon Supermarine, before joining Cirencester, then joining the Crusaders in June.
In defence they have re-signed former Crusader Baboucarr Jarra, who we have come up against before when he played for Thatcham Town. Rhys Taylor (31), has had a strange path to get to Hungerford, after being part of Reading’s youth academy he then played for German 3rd division side FC Rot-Weib Erfut, and then signed for Hungerford 2015 has been instrumental in their success since arriving. Ramarni Medford-Smith, was a Reading youth product, and before joining Hungerford, he played for the likes of Bracknell, Farnborough & Marlow. Matthew Barry-Hargreaves, is a product from Hungerford’s academy, was signed by Oxford Utd, but rejoined the Crusaders for the 2018-19 season and has been an ever present in the team since then.
In goal will be Ryan Clarke, who started his career at Bristol Rovers, and has played for other football league clubs such as Oxford Utd, Southend and AFC Wimbledon, before joining from Bath City this season.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
For the forty-five minutes of Saturday’s game against Sholing, we looked the better team, and although we led by the Liam Ferdinand goal, we failed to take other chances as we went into the break. Yes we had lots of second-half possession and a number of half-chances that weren’t taken, but the error at the back gave Sholing the incentive to push forward, which they did and they looked dangerous every time they were in and around our penalty area.
Our league record now stands at Pld 20 Won 7 Drawn 3 Lost 10 GF 38 GA 46 with 24pts. With Dan Rowe missing last Saturday and tomorrow night, in the hope he’s available for the Beaconsfield game four days later, it looks like Liam Ferdinand & Bradley Wilson will lead the attack. Stefan Brown, who was an unused Substitute Saturday, could earn a place depending on how we set-up tomorrow night. George Reid who made a successful second-half appearance may again be eased back one more time, so could well be an option of the bench. There’s also James Clark who could be intention for a place likely off the bench.
The midfield will be an area that Manager Dan Brownlie, will have to decide if he wants to risk Simon Dunn starting or leaving him on the bench for this game. As stated in my last preview, Michael Atkinson is a perfect option to wear the captain’s armband if not. Paul Hodges, who may be a little disappointed he did not take one of the few chances that came along against Sholing, will look to put things right, and does a lot more than just score goals. D’Andre Brown should also earn a starting place in the middle.
With us having played a back five in recent games, it may be time to revert back to a back-four now that some of our starting defenders are returning to match fitness. This should hopefully strengthen an area that needs improving having conceded forty-six goals in just twenty league games. Callum Winchcombe is still one or two games away from starting, so Kai Hobbs & Marcus Johnson-Schuster look to be the starting defensive backs. The centre-back roles whether two or three, needs further decision making by our Manager. Alfie Grant who has been a more than solid replacement for Billy Upton, picked up a slight knock, but hopefully he is available tomorrow. Billy Upton, who replaced Alfie will be pushing to start alongside Scott Armsworth. Does this mean Nathan Smart will revert back to the bench, only Dan & his management staff will know that.
Paul Strudley continues to defy all odds at his age, but he will be looking to make-up for his error Saturday, whilst I’m not sure of Mark Scott’s latest situation.
Many fans felt the three consecutive home games, would give us the kick-start to push us back-up the table, and although the loss to Sholing was a set-back, a win tomorrow night would be a useful start against a tough Hungerford Town side, who will come looking for blood.
Match Preview by Martin French..