Match Preview: Basingstoke Town vs Hungerford Town
Oct 21, 2024 18:46:29 GMT
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Post by martinfrench on Oct 21, 2024 18:46:29 GMT
Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Hungerford Town
When: Tuesday 22nd October 2024 Kick-off 7.45pm
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Hungerford Town (The Crusaders), Avg 2024-25 Home Att 370
Following our first loss of the season forty-hours ago, we now have a quick chance to get back to winning ways, as we host Hungerford Town tomorrow evening.
Last season in the league against Hungerford we dropped two points as we conceded a late goal in a 2-2 draw at the start of December at Winklebury, then on the last game of the season, we lost in a close game 1-0 in Berkshire.
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 sit in seventeenth place in the league with their record at Pld 12 Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 6 and 12pts. They have been involved in the highest scoring game this season, which was the 9-3 home thrashing of Plymouth Parkway last month. Their away record stands at 2 Draws & 4 losses, although both draws have come in their last two visits at Winchester (2-2) & Havant (0-0).
Their leading forward is Conor McDonagh, but I believe he is currently injured and won’t be available tomorrow night. Having said that Welsh born Midfielder Elis Watts has already found the net eight times in the league so far. Watts, has previously been on loan at a number of clubs such as Aldershot, Farnborough & joined from Weston-Super-Mare. They also have ex-Stokie Zidane Akers who wore the yellow & blue back in 2019. He has two league goals and recently joined from Beaconsfield Town, having previously played at AFC Totton and Bracknell Town. Other strikers include Dawid Regula, who has been at Larkhall Athletic for the past three seasons, and is a pacy striker with three goals and is cover for McDonagh, whilst Tahjee Anderson, has played for clubs such as Hendon, Kingstonian, Leatherhead and more recently Merstham.
Apart from Watts in midfield, they have Brad Hooper, who played over 200 games for Swindon Supermarine, then a short time at Cirencester, before coming to Bulpitt Lane last season. Louis McGrory is back for his third spell at Hungerford and has played for more clubs than Sam Allardyce has managed, but more recently Gloucester, Weston-Super-Mare & Salisbury. McGrory has one league goal, similar to the returning Joe Shepherd who arrived from Cirencester Town last season. Jacob Bancroft is wide playing midfielder who has two league goals, and was at Kingstonian & Hartley Wintney previously.
The defence is led by Baboucarr Jarra, who we previously met at Thatcham Town, rejoined the Crusaders last season, and has two league goals. Rhys Tyler, will likely be the right-back, and spent time for German 3rd division club FC Rot-Weib Erfut, and signed for Hungerford in 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, and has been an ever present in the team since rejoining the Crusaders back in the 2018-19 season. Louie Paget will likely play on the left and spent time at Leatherhead & Hartley Wintney.
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 last season.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Well our second loss to Taunton, in the space of two-weeks, went in very much the same pattern, that once we went behind, we struggled to find an equaliser as teams now seem prepared to defend deep us against us, which we appear to break down.
The loss still leaves us fourth place with our record now at Pld 11 Won 5 Drawn 5 Lost 1 and 20pts. With us unable to find the net Saturday, Liam Ferdinand and his eight goals will lead the attack. George Reid will very likely start as he has been influential in our games since his return. Brody Peart, who missed the Taunton game through a hip injury, may return for tomorrow’s game. We lacked that third offensive player last Saturday, and many fans feel it would be a good time to give Dan Warre a start. If not Nnamdi Nwachuku may earn the start.
Sam Deadfield’s first game back, did not end as well as hoped, receiving his second-yellow card early in the second-half, but with him likely to miss Saturday’s trip to Swindon Supermarine, he will surely be in the starting line-up tomorrow. This means Rudy Allen could be alongside him and one potential other. This could be anyone from Simon Dunn, Max Smith or D’Andre Brown. Ben Cook as mentioned will be undergoing surgery this week.
The defence was a back four with James Clark missing out Saturday, but will it stay the same tomorrow night. Marcus Johnson-Schuster will start on the right, but will also miss Saturday’s game like Deadfield after receiving a second-yellow card after the final whistle. On the left and the Supporters Club ‘September Player of the Month’ will be Curtis Angell. The centre-backs will be Billy Upton, who is now the confirmed captain of the team, and either Jack Ball or Clark. Potential back-ups will be Josh Grant and Aleks Kokoszka who played for Andover New Street Saturday.
Simon Grant, who kept us in the game with his early second-half penalty save, was all to no avail in the end, will wear the goalkeepers jersey once again.
Hungerford have been an entertaining side this year having scored and conceded twenty-two goals this season, so this could be a high-scoring game tomorrow, and we will need to take our chances when they come along.
Tomorrow night is a perfect chance for Stoke to get back to winning ways, and your vocal support could help us get across the winning line.
Match Preview by Martin French..
Basingstoke Town vs Hungerford Town
When: Tuesday 22nd October 2024 Kick-off 7.45pm
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Hungerford Town (The Crusaders), Avg 2024-25 Home Att 370
Following our first loss of the season forty-hours ago, we now have a quick chance to get back to winning ways, as we host Hungerford Town tomorrow evening.
Last season in the league against Hungerford we dropped two points as we conceded a late goal in a 2-2 draw at the start of December at Winklebury, then on the last game of the season, we lost in a close game 1-0 in Berkshire.
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 sit in seventeenth place in the league with their record at Pld 12 Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 6 and 12pts. They have been involved in the highest scoring game this season, which was the 9-3 home thrashing of Plymouth Parkway last month. Their away record stands at 2 Draws & 4 losses, although both draws have come in their last two visits at Winchester (2-2) & Havant (0-0).
Their leading forward is Conor McDonagh, but I believe he is currently injured and won’t be available tomorrow night. Having said that Welsh born Midfielder Elis Watts has already found the net eight times in the league so far. Watts, has previously been on loan at a number of clubs such as Aldershot, Farnborough & joined from Weston-Super-Mare. They also have ex-Stokie Zidane Akers who wore the yellow & blue back in 2019. He has two league goals and recently joined from Beaconsfield Town, having previously played at AFC Totton and Bracknell Town. Other strikers include Dawid Regula, who has been at Larkhall Athletic for the past three seasons, and is a pacy striker with three goals and is cover for McDonagh, whilst Tahjee Anderson, has played for clubs such as Hendon, Kingstonian, Leatherhead and more recently Merstham.
Apart from Watts in midfield, they have Brad Hooper, who played over 200 games for Swindon Supermarine, then a short time at Cirencester, before coming to Bulpitt Lane last season. Louis McGrory is back for his third spell at Hungerford and has played for more clubs than Sam Allardyce has managed, but more recently Gloucester, Weston-Super-Mare & Salisbury. McGrory has one league goal, similar to the returning Joe Shepherd who arrived from Cirencester Town last season. Jacob Bancroft is wide playing midfielder who has two league goals, and was at Kingstonian & Hartley Wintney previously.
The defence is led by Baboucarr Jarra, who we previously met at Thatcham Town, rejoined the Crusaders last season, and has two league goals. Rhys Tyler, will likely be the right-back, and spent time for German 3rd division club FC Rot-Weib Erfut, and signed for Hungerford in 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, and has been an ever present in the team since rejoining the Crusaders back in the 2018-19 season. Louie Paget will likely play on the left and spent time at Leatherhead & Hartley Wintney.
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 last season.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Well our second loss to Taunton, in the space of two-weeks, went in very much the same pattern, that once we went behind, we struggled to find an equaliser as teams now seem prepared to defend deep us against us, which we appear to break down.
The loss still leaves us fourth place with our record now at Pld 11 Won 5 Drawn 5 Lost 1 and 20pts. With us unable to find the net Saturday, Liam Ferdinand and his eight goals will lead the attack. George Reid will very likely start as he has been influential in our games since his return. Brody Peart, who missed the Taunton game through a hip injury, may return for tomorrow’s game. We lacked that third offensive player last Saturday, and many fans feel it would be a good time to give Dan Warre a start. If not Nnamdi Nwachuku may earn the start.
Sam Deadfield’s first game back, did not end as well as hoped, receiving his second-yellow card early in the second-half, but with him likely to miss Saturday’s trip to Swindon Supermarine, he will surely be in the starting line-up tomorrow. This means Rudy Allen could be alongside him and one potential other. This could be anyone from Simon Dunn, Max Smith or D’Andre Brown. Ben Cook as mentioned will be undergoing surgery this week.
The defence was a back four with James Clark missing out Saturday, but will it stay the same tomorrow night. Marcus Johnson-Schuster will start on the right, but will also miss Saturday’s game like Deadfield after receiving a second-yellow card after the final whistle. On the left and the Supporters Club ‘September Player of the Month’ will be Curtis Angell. The centre-backs will be Billy Upton, who is now the confirmed captain of the team, and either Jack Ball or Clark. Potential back-ups will be Josh Grant and Aleks Kokoszka who played for Andover New Street Saturday.
Simon Grant, who kept us in the game with his early second-half penalty save, was all to no avail in the end, will wear the goalkeepers jersey once again.
Hungerford have been an entertaining side this year having scored and conceded twenty-two goals this season, so this could be a high-scoring game tomorrow, and we will need to take our chances when they come along.
Tomorrow night is a perfect chance for Stoke to get back to winning ways, and your vocal support could help us get across the winning line.
Match Preview by Martin French..