Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Basingstoke Town vs Walton & Hersham
When: Saturday 29th November 2025 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Winklebury Centre, Winklebury Way, Basingstoke. RG23 8BF
Walton & Hersham (The Swans), 2025-26 League Position 1st
Following our midweek lost to an inform Yate Town side, we now host league leaders Walton & Hersham this Saturday. Last season, we took four out of six points, initially beating them 1-0 in September at Winklebury, with Billy Upton’s first-half header the difference. Then in March we took the lead via George Reid’s finish, but a late equaliser mean’t we shared the points.
Our Opponents
The Swans had a change in Manager at the start of this week, as Billy Rowley, resigned his position, to subsequently take the Manager’s role at Yeovil Town. At this point no-one has been confirmed as a caretaker Manager.
The league leaders beat Berkhamsted 2-0 on Tuesday night, to increase their lead to five points, with their record standing at an impressive Pld 17 Won 14 Drawn 2 Lost 1 and 44pts. Their away record sits at 5 wins 1 draw & 1 loss. That sole loss was at Hanwell Town back at the start of August. Last time on the road was at Sholing, when with them cruising at 4-1, there was another floodlight failure, and the game was abandoned. Sholing confirmed that the 3 points should be awarded to the Swans, but whether the league can or will accept this, is still to be decided.
The Swans have kept a couple of their strikers from last season, and their current leading goalscorers are Dawid Rogalski with thirteen goals, who left Poland as a child, and was part of Maidenheads academy, then returned to play in Poland, before returning to England, and played for Chalfont St Peter, where we first faced him, then at Marlow, before joining the Swans in 2024. Attacking midfielder Johl Powell also has thirteen goals and has National League experience, with clubs such as Maidstone, Dulwich Hamlets & Dover Athletic. Jack Wood, is another striker, who has ten goals, and joined from Southend Utd in the summer, after spending three years with the Shrimpers, having played for Kings Langley, before that.
Apart from Johl Powell, their midfield contains Anis Nuur, who is in his second season at the club and has two league goals. Nuur, previously had two spells at Hartley Wintney, as well as stints at Met Police, Westfield and Cray Wanderers. Belgium-born Lucas Defise, is in his second season with the club, after spending time at Eastbourne Borough prior to that. Mason Obeng is in his second season with the Swans, and has two goals, having previously played for Aldershot Town. Another midfielder is ex-Stokie, Elliott Bolton who had a short stint with Basingstoke, before returning to Weymouth then Bracknell. Originally aa a central-midfielder, he has also played in defence, and has added two goals recently for the Swans.
Their defence will be led by their long-term captain Joey Jones, who recently inked an extended contract with the club has a wealth of experience, starting in the youth ranks of Arsenal, Leicester & Yeovil, before switching between Woking and Yeovil over a four year period. He has since played for clubs such as Eastleigh, Dagenham & Redbridge, before joining from Altringham in July. Eoin Bolger is a young 20 year-old defender in his third season with the Swans. Junior Eccleston, is a centre-back, who joined the Swans on loan from Sutton United. Another young defender is Thabo Kuaho, who will be on the left, and rose through their youth ranks. Stefan Parkes is another defensive option who signed for the club after Fulham released him in the summer. He was at Walton last year on-loan but injury cut short his season. In goal will be young Jos Barker, who joined from Knaphill in June 2024, and now just 21, he has firmly consolidated his role between the sticks.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
A solitary goal loss in cold & frosty conditions at Yate Town on Tuesday night, means we have now lost our last three games, without scoring a goal, brings more meaning to tomorrow’s game at home to the league leaders and rivals.
After a decent first-half effort, where with a touch of luck, we could have easily been ahead, the second-half saw a slow start, as we went behind, and it was only the last fifteen minutes, that we really put any real pressure on Yate’s goal, but even then each shot, was straight at the keeper, as we went down to defeat. The positive from Tuesday’s loss, was the return to the pitch of Robbie Gallagher, who showed signs that he may be back to full-fitness in the coming games.
With the two solitary goal losses in the past seven days, we now sit in thirteenth place, with our record at Pld 19 Won 6 Drawn 3 Lost 10 and 21pts. Our home record sits at 4 wins, 1 draw & 4 losses. Our expected strikeforce will now consist of Liam Ferdinand, who hit the post and came close with two other shots Tuesday, Josh Dolling (still to find the net), Dan Rowe & Robbie Gallagher. It is assumed, until confirmed otherwise, that Cheick Sylla, George Reid & Ore Bello will continue to be sidelined through injury.
Similar to the forward line, the midfield looked good in the first-half on Tuesday, with Tom Blake again showing what a good signing this could be. The midfield did struggle more in the second-half, as Yate dropped ten yards, after taking the lead, and the bumpy frosty pitch did not help, and like the offence, failed to stretch the Yate defence for most of the second-half. With this, will there be any changes is questionable, again depending on what formation we go with. This will likely see Josh Green along with Tom Blake, potentially our other loan signing Connor Harris, D’Andre Brown & Ben Cook. Connor Barratt still struggles to get real gametime, and James Dickson, may once more miss tomorrow through injury.
The defence looked strong for most of the game, and apart from the early second-half goal, they only allowed a couple of chances in each half. Scott Armsworth was back in the starting like-up alongside our captain Billy Upton, and with Jack Ball still likely out, will surely the centre-back pairing tomorrow. Markus Johnson-Schuster, who missed Tuesday’s game may return to his right back slot, if not Elliott Legg will continue in his role, opposite Joe O’Loughlin on the left. James Clark will be available to fill-in wherever he is needed. It is unclear who will don the goalkeeper gloves, as our on-loan goalie Joel Halliday, may need to return to QPR, and unless our regular keeper Simon Grant can return from injury, another keeper will be required.
The last of four tough games in November, Walton will look to extend their lead at the top of the table, whilst Basingstoke, are in need to get back to winning ways, and will need to start finding the net for them to achieve this.
The weather report, looks like it will be heavy rain throughout the day, so bring your raincoat, an umbrella and your voice to get behind your Stoke side, as we face this tough match-up tomorrow afternoon.
Let’s Go Stoke !
Match Preview by Martin French..
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