Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 Issue 5

Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-2010 Issue 5 Upon Further Review

After last weeks sigh of relief with our first win of the season, we then travelled on Tuesday night to the tiny village of Mangotsfield, and after initially going behind early in the second-half a late fight back and Mikey Davis’s first goal of the season, with a hard-working performance earned us a well-deserved point. Then we have yesterday’s dramatic comeback and our first league win of the season.

Think one or two of our fans saw Manager Dan Brownlie float across the pitch after the game, I think he was fairly happy with his players last 25 minute performance. As for walking on water, not quite yet!

However, it could have all gone all horribly wrong, as Highworth Town dominated for a long period and we were fortunate for the game not to be dead and buried before the hour.

But again this young team dug deep, kept in the game and once we got that first fortunate goal back, we looked the better team and most fans hoped for a point at best, but surely not a win like that.

The fortunate first goal, apparently claimed by our club as Ben Wright’s goal, looked to me like an own goal and the League website does not even mention who scored it! The referee looked to the linesman, who was in a better position to see the incident remained motionless, so the referee had no alternative to award the goal, and the fight back was on.

Looking back on the game and the endless 8 minutes of injury-time at the end of the game, I can remember one injury a bit of time-wasting and 4 substitutions, that honestly amounts to 4 or at worst case 5 minutes, but to play 8 was again farcical, but not the first time a referee has found ‘Fergie’ time in a Basingstoke game this season.

What is different from this previous seasons whilst I’ve been coming is the young players really want and do connect with the fans. This in most cases is the first time these players have received real fan support and they seem to relish in it. This can only be good for the club, as the younger fan base in general, want a closer connection with the players. Fans simply want to see the players care.

Ok to the top of the table, as we have a new leader as Paulton Rovers went on the road and put four past Cirencester, winning 2-4. Their leading goalscorer forward Ben Bament added just one this week, that’s 11 on the season. Rovers have now scored 3 or more goals in the last 6 league games and lead the league with an impressive 26 goals after just 9 games. They replaced Thatcham Town who were idle due to their opponents playing in the FA Cup. In fact Thatcham were pushed into 3^rd spot as Frome Town got back to winning ways, as they won 2-3 on the road at AFC Totton. Frome’s Johnathan Davies added his 7^th goal of the season.

In 4^th place is Evesham Utd who won their 3^rd game in the row without conceding a goal. Forward Lee Chilton added two to his tally, the first a 5^th minute penalty that got the scoring underway, and his second was the final goal in the 4-0 home thrashing of Mangotsfield Utd.

Back in the playoff places are Slimbridge who came from a goal behind to win 2-1 at home to Bideford Town.

This leaves the top of the table looking like this;

The Top Five in Our League

Well after back-to-back league draws and a dramatic comeback win, it puts a slightly happier look at Basingstoke’s situation at the bottom of the table, as Bristol Manor Farm who haven’t played in the league since the 14^th September now drop to the bottom spot. They have a massive number of games over the teams above and unless their FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup exploits come back to hinder their league situation, you would believe they will pull themselves clear.

Above them sit Barnstaple who are on a 6 game losing streak and were beaten at home 0-3 by then lowly Moneyfields. Even worse is the fact that they have not scored in their four league games since the 7^th September.

Barnstaple like us made a recent management change, accepting the resignation of Aaron Harper-Penman, and after a ten-day period, confirmed that ex-professional league player Dean Edwards as the new man in charge last Wednesday.

Our two space leap up the table, puts us level with Sholing who after taking an early 3^rd minute lead, conceded two goals, losing at home to Winchester City 1-2.

Above Sholing sit AFC Totton who were dragged back into the bottom five, with Moneyfields win and as mentioned earlier their loss to Frome Town.

The Bottom Five in our League

Basingstoke Town League Goal Scorers Chart

Ben Wright 2

Claudio Herbert 2

Reece Rusher 1

Adam Everiss 1

Mikey Davis 1

Harrison Cliff 1

Zach Robinson 1

Own Goal 1

The Division One South league goal-scoring chart according to the Bet Victor website

Ben Bament – Paulton Rovers         11

Jonathan Davies – Frome Town         7

Thomas Hillman – Mangotsfield Utd   6

Lee Chilton – Evesham Utd              6

Just three games in the league this week and one of real significance as Manor Farm have a Tuesday night home game against promotion chasing Slimbridge.

Bristol Manor Farm (20^th) vs Slimbridge (5th)

Currently there no games scheduled for Saturday, with 18 of 20 league teams taking centre stage in the FA Trophy. For confirmation Mangotsfield and Moneyfields both sit idle.

So we have a spare week before we travel back to the West Country to take on Cirencester Town, with an important £2,250 for the winners.