Match Preview: Basingstoke Town vs Beaconsfield Town
Dec 8, 2023 16:34:38 GMT
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Post by btfc Supporters Club on Dec 8, 2023 16:34:38 GMT
Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Beaconsfield Town
When: Saturday 9th December 2023 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Beaconsfield Town (The Rams), Avg 2023-24 Home Att 177
Following our midweek draw against Hungerford, the games come thick and fast as we play an experienced Beaconsfield team in the return game tomorrow afternoon. We played Beaconsfield Town back in early September, on a day where we left Holloways Park, with a deserved, but tight three-two win. Goals by Ben Cook, George Reid, and a late Bradley Wilson penalty secured the three points.
Our Opponents
The Rams are manged by Jon Underwood, whose playing career was mainly at Farnborough, and also represented Aylesbury Utd. His management career started at Sandhurst before taking over at Godalming with Jt Manager Neil Baker in 2010-11. They had a successful period there, and then at Slough Town, before joining Beaconsfield in February 2023. Neil is taking a break this season, leaving Underwood in full control.
Beaconsfield sit in fifteenth place, but with three games in hand over Basingstoke, after last Saturday’s league game at Dorchester Town was abandoned after sixty-six minutes, with the score at one-one, due to freezing fog at the Avenue Stadium. This leaves their league record at Pld 18 Won 5 Drawn 3 Lost 10, with 18pts. Their recent form is similar to Basingstoke’s as they have struggled to pick up wins, in fact winning just once at home to lowly Harrow Borough (3-1), since the beginning of November. Their away record sits at 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, with their last away win on the road back in September, defeating Hayes & Yeading three-one.
Their forward line has taken an uplift in recent weeks, with them signing 24 year-old ex-Hanwell Town & Slough Town forward Tom McElroy who made his debut a couple of weeks ago. Their leading goal-scorer is jointly held by well-known 44 year-old Jefferson Louis, who we have crossed swords with us on many occasions whilst playing for other clubs, and attacking midfielder Asher Yearwood. Both have five goals on the season. Other forwards include another well-known player Jonathan Hippolyte, whose has played for the likes of Maidenhead, Staines Town, Met Police & Chertsey. Ex-Stokie Zidan Akers, whose now reached the age of 25, scored his first goal for the Rams in their last match. Akers, since leaving us, has played for Hartley Wintney & Bracknell Town.
Apart from Yearwood in midfield, they have Another attacking winger in young Ikar Noguera Leon, who joined the Rams in September. James Dobson, who has four goals, another midfield/winger, who has spent time at Slough Town, as well as Sutton Utd, Dagenham & Redbridge, Ebbsfleet & Hemel Hempstead. Dan Bradshaw (22), was a Southampton youth player and joined the Rams from Eastleigh in the summer of 2022. Sam Granville, is a box-to-box player who is on his second loan period from Barnet.
Experienced Sam Togwell, is a defender/midfielder, is a former pro, who played for clubs such as Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Barnsley & Barnet. Joe Morrison, is a strong athletic defender, who has played for Woking & Hartley Wintney. PE Teacher Luke Neville, played over 100 times for Egham Town, and has played over 150 times since joining the Rams in 2017. In goal it is likely to be on-loan Reading keeper Matt Rowley
Our Basingstoke Town Side
We play the third of three consecutive home games in eight days, with just one point from the first two matches, although many felt we deserved more. Tuesday nights, two-two draw at home to Hungerford Town, saw us take a deserved two-one lead, only for a late, late penalty conversion by Hungerford to dash our hopes of all three points. This leaves us in thirteenth place with an overall league record of Pld 21 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 10 GF 40 GA 48 with 25pts. It is expected that one or two players will be back in the starting line-up, with leading goal-scorer Dan Rowe, one of them. This will be much needed, as fellow striker Liam Ferdinand’s impact injury Tuesday night, will mean he will miss at least Saturday’s game. Bradley Wilson who neatly slotted away his third penalty of the season, to get us back into the game, came close to finding the net in open play will look to add to his eleven goals on the season. Stefan Brown could be in-line for a start after his second-half strong appearance. It is also expected that winger George Reid, rested on Tuesday, will be back to terrorise defences going forward. James Clark may once again, have to make an impact of the bench tomorrow afternoon.
The midfield, saw yet another powerful performance by Michael Atkinson, and although his name is one of the first on the teamsheet, he will likely hand back the captains armband back for the expected return of Simon Dunn. Paul Hodges, is likely to win one of the other midfield roles, whilst D’Andre Brown, depending on how we set-up, may be one of the options off the bench.
We played a back five on Tuesday, and with returning players in other areas and with the improved fitness of our normal two centre-backs, then it may be an opportune time to start a back-four of Scott Armsworth & Billy Upton in the middle and Markus Johnson-Schuster on the right. Will Callum Winchcombe be fit enough to return and should he replace Kai Hobbs, who has played well in recent weeks.
Unless Manager Dan Brownlie decides to make a change, then Paul Strudley will be the keeper wearing the goalkeeper gloves tomorrow afternoon.
A win tomorrow would give us four out of nine possible points, from our run of three home games, and also give us a kick-start as we then play the two teams (Harrow & Didcot), who sit in the bottom two places in the league.
With both teams struggling to pick up wins in recent weeks, your support tomorrow could help us get over the line, so make your way down to Winklebury for the 3pm kick-off, and get behind your Basingstoke side.
Match Preview by Martin French..
Basingstoke Town vs Beaconsfield Town
When: Saturday 9th December 2023 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Sports Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Beaconsfield Town (The Rams), Avg 2023-24 Home Att 177
Following our midweek draw against Hungerford, the games come thick and fast as we play an experienced Beaconsfield team in the return game tomorrow afternoon. We played Beaconsfield Town back in early September, on a day where we left Holloways Park, with a deserved, but tight three-two win. Goals by Ben Cook, George Reid, and a late Bradley Wilson penalty secured the three points.
Our Opponents
The Rams are manged by Jon Underwood, whose playing career was mainly at Farnborough, and also represented Aylesbury Utd. His management career started at Sandhurst before taking over at Godalming with Jt Manager Neil Baker in 2010-11. They had a successful period there, and then at Slough Town, before joining Beaconsfield in February 2023. Neil is taking a break this season, leaving Underwood in full control.
Beaconsfield sit in fifteenth place, but with three games in hand over Basingstoke, after last Saturday’s league game at Dorchester Town was abandoned after sixty-six minutes, with the score at one-one, due to freezing fog at the Avenue Stadium. This leaves their league record at Pld 18 Won 5 Drawn 3 Lost 10, with 18pts. Their recent form is similar to Basingstoke’s as they have struggled to pick up wins, in fact winning just once at home to lowly Harrow Borough (3-1), since the beginning of November. Their away record sits at 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, with their last away win on the road back in September, defeating Hayes & Yeading three-one.
Their forward line has taken an uplift in recent weeks, with them signing 24 year-old ex-Hanwell Town & Slough Town forward Tom McElroy who made his debut a couple of weeks ago. Their leading goal-scorer is jointly held by well-known 44 year-old Jefferson Louis, who we have crossed swords with us on many occasions whilst playing for other clubs, and attacking midfielder Asher Yearwood. Both have five goals on the season. Other forwards include another well-known player Jonathan Hippolyte, whose has played for the likes of Maidenhead, Staines Town, Met Police & Chertsey. Ex-Stokie Zidan Akers, whose now reached the age of 25, scored his first goal for the Rams in their last match. Akers, since leaving us, has played for Hartley Wintney & Bracknell Town.
Apart from Yearwood in midfield, they have Another attacking winger in young Ikar Noguera Leon, who joined the Rams in September. James Dobson, who has four goals, another midfield/winger, who has spent time at Slough Town, as well as Sutton Utd, Dagenham & Redbridge, Ebbsfleet & Hemel Hempstead. Dan Bradshaw (22), was a Southampton youth player and joined the Rams from Eastleigh in the summer of 2022. Sam Granville, is a box-to-box player who is on his second loan period from Barnet.
Experienced Sam Togwell, is a defender/midfielder, is a former pro, who played for clubs such as Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Barnsley & Barnet. Joe Morrison, is a strong athletic defender, who has played for Woking & Hartley Wintney. PE Teacher Luke Neville, played over 100 times for Egham Town, and has played over 150 times since joining the Rams in 2017. In goal it is likely to be on-loan Reading keeper Matt Rowley
Our Basingstoke Town Side
We play the third of three consecutive home games in eight days, with just one point from the first two matches, although many felt we deserved more. Tuesday nights, two-two draw at home to Hungerford Town, saw us take a deserved two-one lead, only for a late, late penalty conversion by Hungerford to dash our hopes of all three points. This leaves us in thirteenth place with an overall league record of Pld 21 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 10 GF 40 GA 48 with 25pts. It is expected that one or two players will be back in the starting line-up, with leading goal-scorer Dan Rowe, one of them. This will be much needed, as fellow striker Liam Ferdinand’s impact injury Tuesday night, will mean he will miss at least Saturday’s game. Bradley Wilson who neatly slotted away his third penalty of the season, to get us back into the game, came close to finding the net in open play will look to add to his eleven goals on the season. Stefan Brown could be in-line for a start after his second-half strong appearance. It is also expected that winger George Reid, rested on Tuesday, will be back to terrorise defences going forward. James Clark may once again, have to make an impact of the bench tomorrow afternoon.
The midfield, saw yet another powerful performance by Michael Atkinson, and although his name is one of the first on the teamsheet, he will likely hand back the captains armband back for the expected return of Simon Dunn. Paul Hodges, is likely to win one of the other midfield roles, whilst D’Andre Brown, depending on how we set-up, may be one of the options off the bench.
We played a back five on Tuesday, and with returning players in other areas and with the improved fitness of our normal two centre-backs, then it may be an opportune time to start a back-four of Scott Armsworth & Billy Upton in the middle and Markus Johnson-Schuster on the right. Will Callum Winchcombe be fit enough to return and should he replace Kai Hobbs, who has played well in recent weeks.
Unless Manager Dan Brownlie decides to make a change, then Paul Strudley will be the keeper wearing the goalkeeper gloves tomorrow afternoon.
A win tomorrow would give us four out of nine possible points, from our run of three home games, and also give us a kick-start as we then play the two teams (Harrow & Didcot), who sit in the bottom two places in the league.
With both teams struggling to pick up wins in recent weeks, your support tomorrow could help us get over the line, so make your way down to Winklebury for the 3pm kick-off, and get behind your Basingstoke side.
Match Preview by Martin French..
