Match Preview: Isthmian League South Central Division
Basingstoke Town Vs Guernsey
When: Tuesday 22nd March 2022 Kick-off 7.45pm
Where: Winklebury Complex, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Guernsey (Nickname – The Green Lions), Average 2021-22 Home Attendance 719 Admission Prices: Adults £10, Concessions £7 Aged 13-17 £3 Aged 12 & Under £1
Well after all the expectations and hopes of a win to strengthen our playoff hopes, a performance like that was not expected or required, as after a few minutes of early possession, we lost our way and for an hour were outplayed across all areas of the pitch.
We now welcome/face Guernsey at Winklebury, knowing that this was our game in hand over our playoff challengers, which now has now become even more important than we first thought it may have been.
In the first game, for the small band of Supporters who travelled with covid restrictions just two months ago to the Island of Guernsey, they would have seen us dominate a game for an hour, yet somehow throw away a two-goal lead in what was an entertaining 4-4 draw for any neutral fans. Two goals each for Conor Lynch & Stefan Brown, were our goal-scorers on the day, but in reality this was in the end two points dropped, rather than a point won.
Our Opponents
The Green Lions were formed just eleven years ago back in 2011, and are located on the island of Guernsey, which brings many issues and constraints for both their home as well as away games. This has brought many problems for Manager Tony Vance and their Chairman a well-known surname in Mark Le Tissier. Vance, has been in charge since the club’s inception and during his playing career was a Manchester Utd trialist in his youth, and played for Wycombe Wanderers & Enfield, before returning to the island to finish his playing career. He has a wealth of Guernsey football achievements in inter-island competitions and FA Representations.
Guernsey, will travel to the mainland this Tuesday with them sitting in 14th place with a record of PLD 27 Won 8 Drawn 7 Lost 12 GF 48 GA 52 PTS 31. Their away record is similar to their home form, with four wins, three draws and seven losses. There last away game was a late come from behind win at Chalfont St Peter, already down to ten men they levelled the game on 85 mins, before getting the winning goal two minutes into added time.
When looking at who will likely score their goals, we need to look no further than Ross Allen, who has 18 of their 48 league goals, and is the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer by a country mile, and included 46 goals in their first season (2014), in the old Ryman South division. Will Fazakerley who has four goals, whilst Kyle Smith has three goals. Another Le Tissier (Glenn) has just one goal and that was the Green Lions fourth goal against us in January.
In midfield they have four-goal Matt Loaring who is an attacking versatile midfielder since joining the club in 2015. He did have trials at Watford, Leeds Utd & Grimsby. With him will be central midfielder Charlton Gauvain, who now has three goals, who is a tough tackling player. Three-goal Tom Jackson, Signed for Whyteleafe for the 2020-21 season, which was interrupted by Covid-19 and then moved to Guernsey to re-sign for the club in January 2022. They also have brothers Kieran & Liam Mahon.
In defence they have Jacob Fallaize who has two goals, but he banned for this game following his red card last week at Chalfont St Peter. Another central defender is Tom Strawbridge, whilst they Ben Le Tocq who is an ever-present at right-back. The other centre-back is likely to be experienced Jamie Dodd who is likely to be the captain tomorrow night.
In goal in recent games has been young Lucas Hanley, who joined from Herne Bay.
One worry is that they have a long throw-in expert who caused chaos in the second-half of the first game.
Your Basingstoke Town Side
We return to Winklebury just 72 hours after a very humbling defeat at home to lowly Sutton Common Rovers, we face a team who sit just three places above them in Guernsey.
Despite other results around us, we remain in fifth place with our league record now at PLD 29 Won 17 Drawn 6 Lost 6 GF 53 GA 39 Pts 57, but with five of those six losses at home, we head into this crucial game.
Many fans were concerned that Conor Lynch was not fit, but hopefully this was more down to a lack of game time, that hopefully he can resolve tomorrow night. Stefan Brown and Bradley Wilson both had little to do, as the game was played more in our half of the pitch for large parts of the game, but should start tomorrow night.
The midfield options are so many, it will depend on how aggressive our Manager wishes to be. Simon Dunn should be captain once more, but with numerous options who played last Saturday, plus those such as George Reid & Lloyd Snell who were unused substitutes, could see them being promoted to the starting line-up. There is also Brody Peart and Marco Magalhaes-Nevez who could also see some playing time in an effort to change things up in midfield.
The defence was under constant pressure and with Daryl Wollers going off injured, he may be unfit for Tuesday’s game. Will Dan Williamson, be available to start at right-back allowing Nathan Smart to slide across to his more suited role as centre-back, is one option, but hopefully Rob Sheridan will be fit to return in the other centre-back role. James Howarth should be the starting left-back.
In goal will be Paul Strudley who had no chance with any of the three goals on Saturday.
The positives are that this is the game in hand over the teams around us, and three points would not only improve our league position, but would give us some momentum as we going into this Saturday’s third home game in eight days against one of our challengers Bedfont Sports.
We know that Guernsey are a very big side and will use their long throw-in tactics to hurt us, but we must counteract that by trying to cut out or limit their attacks in our half. Guernsey’s only appearance on 3G this season was on a 3-1 loss at Bedfont Sports, so if we can get off to a good start, we can hopefully put them on the back-foot and put some goals away.
After a what was a disappointing crowd Saturday, it will be interesting to see how many will come out on a Tuesday evening to get behind Dan and the Boys.
Match Preview by Martin French.