Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Taunton Town
When: Saturday 19th October 2024 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Taunton Town (Peacocks), Avg 2024-25 Home Att 656
After our modest performance at Frome seven days ago, and despite being behind the curve-ball initially at Hanwell, we put together a more determined stronger performance, deservedly leaving North-West London with all three points after a 2-1 win.
Tomorrow we face Taunton at home in the league, just two weeks after losing down in Somerset, in a rather disappointing 1-0 loss to them in the FA Trophy.
Our Opponents
The Peacocks are managed by Richard Luffman, who previously managed Otterbourne, Alresford, and Cribbs where he lead the team to the Hellenic League Title alongside a League Cup. Luffman, left Cribbs to join Taunton in February 2024, when they sat in third place of the Southern League Division One.
Since our FA Trophy game, Taunton have not played in the league, but have played two FA Cup matches, starting with their home game in front of 1365 they drew 1-1, and then had to travel to Maidenhead’s York Road last Tuesday evening, but were second-best in a 3-0 defeat. This leaves their league record as before at Pld 9 Won 3 Drawn 4 Lost 2 and 13pts, but now with games in hand, thirteenth place. Their league away record stands at 1 Win (2-0 At Frome), 1 Draw (Plymouth 2-2) and 2 losses (Poole & Hungerford).
Their leading goalscorer is still ex Bath City midfielder Tom Smith with four goals. Smith who sports noticeable long ginger hair, is also the Peacocks captain and played over 260 games for Bath over a seven year, after spells at Swindon Supermarine & Cheltenham Town. Forward David Duru, has two league goals, and was the Peacocks scorer in the 1-1 draw against Maidenhead in the Cup. Duru, joined from Cribbs Fc, where he scored twenty-one goals last season, and was Cribbs first ever contracted player. Archie Ferris (two goals), joined in the summer of 2024 from Larkhall Athletic, where he bagged twenty-two goals last season. Ferris played for Clevedon Town prior to that. Aysa Corrick (two goals), has played for a number of clubs based in the South-West, more recently Evesham Town, Larkhall, Paulton Rovers and two spells at Yate Town.
Apart from Tom Smith in midfield, they have Tom Purrington, who joined from Plymouth Parkway in the summer. Purrington also has two league goals. His previous clubs also include Dorchester Town, Tiverton Town and Plymouth Argyle’s academy. Owen Brain, signed from Gloucester City in the summer, having previously had stints at Bristol Manor Farm, Merthyr Town & Yate Town. Alfie Moulden is another ex-Tiverton player who joined the Peacocks in the summer, and has a wealth of experience including time at Western-Super-Mare & Plymouth Parkway. He has also added two league goals. Another signing from Cribbs is Harris Feltham, who previously spent time at Eastleigh & Cardiff Met. Yet another Cribbs player who followed Luffman to Taunton is Jacob Hodgson.
In defence they have Ollie Woodhouse, who signed from Bristol Manor Farm, having played 150 times for Great Wakering Rovers, and then Roman St Glass. Toby Down is another player who was picked up from Plymouth Parkway, and has spent periods at Tiverton and previously at Taunton as well. 33-year-old Eddie Jones signed from National League South side Chippenham Town in July, after spells at Bath City, Forest Green Rovers, Gloucester City, AFC Telford, and Oxford City. Another ex-Cribbs player is defender Reed Hedges, and is back to fitness after breaking his leg in the 2022/23 season. In goal it is likely to be 22 year-old Adam Parkes, and has played for National League clubs such as Havant & Waterlooville, Barnet & Dover. He also spent two periods at Plymouth Parkway.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Well Tuesday’s night victory at Hanwell, was like chalk and cheese to our game at Frome, and saw this current Basingstoke squad at it’s best, when under pressure, it stands up at fights, and we saw one or two players put in their best performances of the season. The late arrival of keeper Simon Grant, which a number of fans saw him stranded on the M4, saw Curtis Angell don the keepers jersey, and for eighteen minutes we gave him little to do as we had some decent possession without the end product in Hanwell’s half. Liam Ferdinand jumped at the chance to put us ahead after Hanwell’s keeper spilled George Reid’s shot. The second-half saw a glut of early chances and it was the quality of Liam Ferdinand who took his second chance, to double our lead. A quick reply by Hanwell, saw us change formation and we were able to hold on and win.
The win keeps us unbeaten and we moved up one place to fourth with our record showing as Pld 10 Won 5 Drawn 5 Lost 0 and 20pts. Again George Reid was the source of a lot of our attacks, whilst on the pitch, and alongside an all-round performance from Liam Ferdinand, a much stronger performance from Brody Peart, we looked dangerous at times. Ferdinand now has eight goals on the season, and as manager Dan Brownlie states brings the quality he knew he had. Second-half appearances for both Nnamdi Nwachuku and Dan Warre, could mean the same depending on how we set-up tomorrow. Jonny Efedje is still returning from an injury according to a source at the club.
The midfield was pushed on Tuesday night, and Simon Dunn was the pre-set player that was to be substituted once Simon Grant arrived, so whether he returns to the starting line-up or is an active member on the bench tomorrow is unclear. Rudy Allen who has been strong all-season will surely start, whilst this could be Ben Cook’s final game for some time, as he undergoes surgery in just 72 hours-time. Ben put in a superb ninety-minute performance on Tuesday, but may start on the bench. Max Smith would have played but was taken ill prior to the game, so does he start tomorrow. D’Andre Brown started and gave a battling performance, but may also be one of the five subs tomorrow.
The defence that initially was a back four on Tuesday, but switched to a back five for the last thirty minutes, was able to survive a few last minute scares. So the question is does Dan start with five or four at the back. If it’s five then Markus Johnson-Schuster on the right. James Clark, Billy Upton & Jack Ball will be in the middle. On the left will be undefeated goalkeeper Curtis Angell. Potential back-ups are John Grant & Aleks Kokoszka. In goal will be Simon Grant, who made a couple of key saves towards the last few minutes of Tuesday’s game.
Clearly we should be going in tomorrow’s game with the momentum, plus Taunton after their FA Cup exploits may be on a low, as they return to league action, but really it may mean nothing tomorrow afternoon.
So if you’ve nothing to do and with our clubhouse fully up and running, why not make take the time and make that trip to come and get behind the boys tomorrow afternoon.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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