Match Preview: Bet Victor Division One South
Basingstoke Town v Moneyfields
When: Thursday 26th December 2019 Kick-off 3pm
Where: The Simplyhealth Ground, Hillier Way, Winchester. SO23 7SR
Moneyfields (Nickname – The Monies), Average 2019-20 Home Attendance 74
The last game of 2019, weather permitting sees us in a vitally important game against Portsmouth-based Moneyfields, as we try to rectify the past few weeks results.
Moneyfields, known as the Monies, are managed by David Carter, will be looking to play just their second game of the month, as they have sat idle the past two Saturday’s as games were postponed.
Their last league game however, was a confident 3-1 win at home to Evesham, three weeks ago.
They will also travel to Winchester, knowing that they have already won twice on this pitch, having beaten us on penalties in the League Challenge Cup and more recently beating Winchester 0-1 in the Hants Snr Cup.
In the league they currently stand in 15th place with an overall record of PLD 14 WON 4 DRAWN 4 LOST 6 GF 23 GA 29 PTS 16. On the road they won three and lost five games. The wins coming at bottom-placed Barnstaple, lowly AFC Totton and that amazing come from behind victory at Melksham where they trailed 4-1 at halftime, and then put five past Melksham in the second-half running out 4-6 winners on the road.
Their leading goal-scorer is 29-year-old forward Stephen Hutchings, previously of Bournemouth and Havant & Waterlooville, he has 7 league goals to-date. Defender Conor Bailey (27) has added four goals whilst ex-Gosport forward Ryan Pennery has added 3 goals.
As usual, with their current record on this pitch, they will clearly look to take points from this game.
As for your Basingstoke Town side, we will need to forget last week’s kick-in-the-teeth result at Cirencester Town, where we had the game in control, only for a second-half performance that simply was not good enough.
With that latest loss, we still sit in 19th place with our record now as PLD 17 Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 11 GF 24 GA 45 with 12pts.
With Ben Wright missing last Saturday, it was Bradley Wilson who led the forward line, and he not only scored through a deflected shot, he set-up Claudio Herbert, for his chipped goal and also came close to adding his second with a scorching shot that had the keeper beaten. However, second-half, we receded to the pressure that the home team put on us, and we created very little of note, when we needed to get that equaliser.
Assuming Wright is back, he is likely to start alongside Wilson as we need to take the game to Moneyfields.
With the midfield stacked with players such as Claudio Herbert, Harrison Cliff, Jordan Edwards, Riccardo Andrady, Ben Cook and D’Andre Brown, as well as the impressive loan player Aaron Kuhl, it was announced that winger Reece Rusher was released from the club, after failing to earn a starting role at the club.
In defence we need to shut down the attacks, that seem to occur down our flanks week after week, and with Dan Brownlie looking for new players, a dominant defender who can win the ball in the air, must be on his Christmas wish-list.
The return of Scott Armsworth would also help in the centre of defence, as he has impressed fans, when he has played.
This is a critical game as we need to pick-up-points at home, if we are to lift ourselves up the table and starting on Boxing Day would be at least a positive start for the new year, and our game against our host club Winchester City.
With no train service running on Boxing Day, then all fans will need to either drive or find a lift to come and cheer our team at a critical time.
Therefore leave the cold turkey at home and lets hope our players can go cold turkey and lift our spirits with a win.
Merry Christmas one and all.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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