Match Preview: Basingstoke Town vs Tiverton Town – Saturday 20th January 2024

Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Tiverton Town
When: Saturday 20th January 2024 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Tiverton Town (The Tivvy), Avg 2023-24 Home Att 253

Phew!! Finally we ended the run without a win, with a deserved 2-1 win at Hanwell Town, as early second-half goals by Billy Upton & Bradley Wilson were enough win what was potentially a six-pointer. We now host Tiverton Town, in what is also classed as a six-pointer tomorrow afternoon.
It’s been five months since we played Tiverton, as we travelled to the Ian Moorcroft Stadium, on the opening day of the season. That sunny afternoon day, saw Basingstoke control the game for over an hour, taking a two-goal lead, before Tiverton struck back with two quick goals, and we were lucky to hold on for the 2-2 draw. Our goals were by Billy Upton & Michael Atkinson.

Our Opponents
Tiverton are managed by Leigh Robinson, who took over from long-term Manager Martyn Rogers at the end of October. Robinson, had previous management stints at Dorchester Town and before that Truro & Taunton.

Tiverton sit in a worrying seventeenth place, but have lost only once in the last six games. Admittedly four of these games have been draws, but their record now sits at Pld 24 Won 5 Drawn 9 Lost 10, with 24pts. Their away record stands at 3 Wins 2 Draws & 7 Losses. With having scored just thirty-six goals this season, their leading goalscorer is attacking midfielder Jack Rice-Lethaby who has seven league goals and was formerly at Barnstaple, having come through Plymouth Argyle’s youth team. Forward Niall Thompson has three goals and joined from Truro City last season. Forward Tom Bath has four goals, who previously played for Tiverton before playing for Dorchester Town.

Most of Tiverton’s goals have come from their midfield, starting with River Allen (who scored in our earlier encounter), who has found the net five times in the league. Another former Plymouth Argyle product, he also spent a short while at Gateshead. Young Cameron Salmon has rejoined the club, following his dual-registration last season and he has five goals so far. He has spent time at Bristol City & Clevedon Town. Jerry Lawrence, on loan from Bristol Rovers has two goals, and spent a short time at Salisbury previously.

In defence will be experienced centre-back and captain Jamie Richards, who has added two goals on the season. Richards, started his career at Plymouth Argyle, then after a few loan deals, then played for Torquay , then spent six years at Truro before joining Tiverton. 20 year-old Jack Veale formerly at Exeter City U23’s, and has also spent time at Taunton Town & Poole Town. Carlo Garside a right-sided defensive midfielder joined in July for his third stint, having previously been at Saltash Utd. Young 19 year-old goalkeeper Zak Baker, will be the keeper, who joined from Plymouth Argyle’s academy on loan.

Our Basingstoke Town Side
The much-needed win seven day ago, will hopefully give us a small respite against those teams chasing us below, but knowing we still have a lot to do to secure our position in the league. The performance apart from the first few minutes, showed once again, that we can compete against all teams in our league, as long as we keep mistakes to a minimum. It did however take our goal-scoring centre-back to bring us back into the game with a neat down and volley home from six yards out. The second goal via Bradley Wilson, who started and then finished the move following Liam Ferdinand’s run and pass, gave us the lead, that we came close to extending, but were able to hold on for the victory.

We now sit back in our usual thirteenth place once again, with our record at Pld 28 Won 8 Drawn 7 Lost 13 GF 50 GA 64 with 31pts. The forward line, assuming there are no unknown injuries, should be the same with Dan Rowe (13 goals), Liam Ferdinand (7 goals) & our new leading goal-scorer Bradley Wilson with 14 goals. The probable loss of attacking winger George Reid following his hamstring injury, means this could push Paul Hodges back into a starting role. Stefan Brown is likely to be an option off the bench.

Despte Simon Dunn’s head-injury last week, you will likely need to hide his boots to stop him from leading out the team tomorrow at Winklebury. Alongside him will be Michael Atkinson who both won the battle of the midfield, especially in the second-half against Hanwell Town. Depending on how we set-up then D’Andre Brown may have to start on the bench once again. Ben Cook, back in the squad following his long-term injury and James Clark, could be options off the bench.

The defence saw the end of the month-long loan of Anthony Cheshire, but the expected return of Scott Armsworth (if recovered from his injury whilst playing for Guildford City last week), could start alongside man-mountain Billy Upton. Upton’s goal last week now gives him five goals on the season, and it could have been two if his first-half diving header had gone in. Nathan Smart is the other option in the centre. Massimo Giamattei, started at left back at Hanwell, but again is an option here or in the midfield. Callum Winchcombe is the obvious other option here. On the right should be Markus Johnson-Schuster.

Simon Grant’s arrival last Saturday, mean’t that Mark Scott went out on a dual-registration loan to Ascot Utd, and Grant will surely retain the No.1 jersey tomorrow with Paul Strudley as a back-up option.

With Basingstoke now looking like the starting squad at the start of the season, it is hoped that we can add to our win last weekend and push away any further concerns of relegation battles.

The weather is expected to be a few degrees warmer, so get your hat, coat & scarf on, and make your way to Winklebury tomorrow afternoon, and get behind Dan and the players.

Match Preview by Martin French..

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