Match Preview: FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Basingstoke Town Vs Weston-Super-Mare
When: Saturday 3rd September 2022 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Sports Complex, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Weston-super-Mare (Nickname – The Seagulls), Average 2022-23 Home Att 653
Admission Prices: Adults £10, Concessions £6, Under 16’s £3, Under 12’s £1
After Monday’s loss to Binfield, we now have a two-week break from the league and we move firstly onto the FA Cup and the visit of Weston-Super-Mare to Winklebury. Compared to teams around us, it is clear we were handed one of the toughest draws in the round.
The last time we played the Seagulls was back in our relegation season in the National League South, back in 2015-16. In a disastrous season we played them at the back end of the season, initially away we lost 2-1 and then literally a week later we hosted them at the Camrose and after holding a 2-0 halftime lead, we drew 2-2. Simon Dunn & Nathan Smart are the only two players from our current squad who played back for Stoke back then.
Our Opponents
The Seagulls are managed by Scott Bartlett, who is in his second spell as Manager at the club having joined them initially in October 2016, keeping them in the National League South before leaving in June 2017. He is now in fourth year as Manager having returned to the club in May 2019. Scott, had a successful playing career at Cirencester Town, Salisbury FC, Weston, Bath City and Forest Green Rovers.
The Seagulls have set the Southern League Premier South league alight, as they sit top of the league, with five wins and an opening day draw at Bracknell Town. They have scored 22 goals in those six games, whilst conceding just six, so will likely come with the intention to continue to outscore teams.
These include recent victories (Saturday) 7-0 at home to Harrow Borough, then Monday 1-4 at Plymouth Parkway.
Their leading goal-scorer is midfielder and club legend Dayle Grubb, who has seven league goals, two via the penalty spot.
Their forward line is led by experienced ex-league footballer Reuben Reid, who has three league goals. Reid, now 34, has played for many league clubs including Plymouth Argyle, Rotherham and West Brom. Another experienced striker is Marlon Jackson, who also has three league goals. Marlon was part of the Bristol City academy for a number of years, but since leaving them he has spent time at Hereford, Bury, Lincoln City, FC Halifax, Oxford City, Tranmere Rovers and Newport County. With him is young forward Ben Griffith who has three goals. Ellis Watts, another striker has two goals.
The midfield apart from Grubb, has James Dodd, who has one goal and started his career through the Exeter academy, before joining their first team last season, before joining the Gulls. Jack Holmes another player who started through the academy system, before heading off to study and play in America for three years. He then played for Slimbridge in 2021, before joining the Gulls at the start of the season. Another midfielder is Lloyd Humphries who started his professional career at Cardiff City back in 2016, but has now signed for Weston after two previous loan stints at the club.
In defence they have the experienced Sam Avery, who joined the club in January 2021, having played for Bishops Cleeve as well as spells at Carterton Town and Shortwood United before rejoining Gloucester in 2014, Alongside him will be Scott Laird who is also the assistant manager for the Gulls and has played at Preston North End, Scunthorpe Utd, Forest Green Rovers and two loan spells with Walsall.
In goal is Max Harris, began in the youth academy at Hereford FC and made appearances for their first team before joining the setup at Oxford United. He then spent spells at Cheltenham, Cinderford Town and Redditch Utd before joining the Gulls in October last year.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
After that important win at Hanworth Villa, the loss at home to a talented Binfield side on Bank Holiday Monday, sees us now face a hugely challenging FA Cup match-up against Weston-Super-Mare this Saturday.
Binfield controlled the first-half, and took the lead early in the second-half. Stoke came back into the game, and if the Bradley Wilson chance had gone in it would have been well deserved. However another similar finish by a Binfield striker in injury-time finally settled the result.
Manager Dan Brownlie will have an interesting decision on how he sets-up for this FA Cup tie, as the attack-minded strategy so far this season, may not be the best to employ this weekend, and he could look to pack the midfield, to keep the game close.
With this in mind, it is likely that that Sam Argent & Bradley Wilson, will start upfront, whilst George Reid will likely be the starting winger. This leaves the talented Marcio Neves and Ezio Touray to change things up if we need to look to get back in the game.
The midfield will be led by the experienced Simon Dunn, but with both D’Andre Brown and Michael Atkinson likely to miss the game through injury, this then leaves some choices on who will fill the other midfield roles. New signing Luis Le Paih, could fill one slot and talk of James Clark playing an attacking midfield role is an option. Another option is pushing one of the defensive backs into the middle, and on-loan signing Ben Mason, could be an option.
In defence Billy Upton, will either have Nathan Smart or a possible full-return of Scott Armsworth alongside him. If Mason is pushed forward, then the right-back role should be Dan Williamson’s. If Callum Winchcombe starts at the left-back role, James Haworth if fit to return, could be another option to fill a midfield role on the left. Aiden Lewis will likely start on the bench.
The reliable Paul Strudley will be between the sticks as per usual.
If Monday’s game against Binfield was a view to see how we stack up against a promotion challenger, then this Saturday’s game will be a real test, where we enter the game as clear underdogs. This does mean we have a chance to prove how much the squad is stronger this season and also a chance to set down a marker moving forward.
The winners of the tie will walk away with £2,250, which will be much needed revenue for both clubs.
A large crowd is expected, so come along and get behind your Stoke side, they will need your support behind them
Match Preview by Martin French..
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