Match Preview: Chertsey Town vs Basingstoke Town Friday 23rd September 2022

Match Preview: Isthmian South Central Division
Chertsey Town Vs Basingstoke Town
When: Friday 23rd September 2022 Kick-off 7.45pm
Where: Alwyns Lane, Chertsey, KT16 9DW
Chertsey Town (Nickname – The Curfews), Avg 2022-23 Home Att 445

Our first home league win of the season, a 5-0 crushing of Ashford Town brought a welcome relief to many Stoke fans who have been waiting for a dominant performance on the 3G surface at Winklebury.
This now brings us to a more challenging league game moved 72 hours to a Friday night as we visit Chertsey Town.

We had the pleasure (?), of playing Chertsey three times last season, ending up losing twice and drawing the other. Most notably we lost to them 4-1, in the first round of the playoffs on a night where although we were missing a couple of players through injury, we simply did not perform on the night. The home league game we lost 5-1, where McKoy Palmer’s late goal was the only positive note on the night. Then back last February, we battled on a heavy pitch earning a 0-0 draw in Chertsey.

Our Opponents
The Curfews were managed by Ian Selly until their 3-2 playoff final loss to Hanwell Town last May. Following his departure Hanwell Town’s joint manager Wayne Carter was announced as his successor.

Chertsey have gotten off to their usual expected good start, currently sitting in fourth place with a record of Played 6 Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 1 Points 9.
Their one loss came last Saturday, when they lost 3-1 to current league leaders Northwood.
Their two league wins were one-sided affairs, as they thumped South Park 4-0 and 5-0 at Sutton Common Rovers, whilst the draws were at Binfield 1-1 and two more home draws Hanworth Villa 1-1 and Southall 2-2.

Since their playoff final loss, they have lost some of their more talented players such as Magnus Abisogun, & Andrew Crossley, who have all move on to other clubs.

Their leading goal-scorers are both new players to the side, with Lee Lewis who has four goals and Reece Cole with three. There is also ex-Hartley Wintney striker Jake Baxter who has yet to score this season.

Again Chertsey provide very little information about their squad, not only for their own fans, let alone the opposition they visit.

However, the defence has Mason Welch-Turner who joined them in June 2021 from Egham, whilst ex-Stoke defender Jay Gasson, is now more a back-up defender in the squad.

In goal will be Nick Jupp, who saw red in the playoff after a deliberate handball outside the area in the playoff game. Jupp, has played for clubs such as Aldershot Town, Barnet and St Albans City, prior to returning the Curfews for a second stint.

Our Basingstoke Town Side
A much overdue home victory with three first-half goals that killed off Ashford, brings us to our first match-up with Chertsey Town, with a lot to prove after last season’s disappointment.

With a number of midweek matches plus the win against Ashford Town, we now sit in 11th place on seven points from five games.

The partnership between Ezio Touray & Bradley Wilson, continues to blossom and once again bore fruit as it was Wilson’s turn to collect the match-ball after his hat-trick against Ashford. What needs to be decided is which other forward James Clark or Sam Argent, plays alongside them. Clarke gave a new dimension to the game, as he was the corner-kick taker who produced the type of corners that brings danger to the opponent’s defence.

Winger George Reid, produced one of his better performances last weekend, and his brace of goals were finished in similar fashion with either foot, set us on the way in the first-half.

With the attacking threat of Reid, this allowed Simon Dunn, to concentrate on winning the midfield battle, alongwith Clark who played ten yards behind Ezio, and kept Ashford in their own half for a lot of the game. Anton Rodgers who made his first appearance of the season, also brought a much better passing element from midfield, something that was lacking in previous games.

The defence who reverted back to a straight back four, looked more solid and apart from one or two occasions in the second-half, including the penalty and it’s bizarre outcome, seems the best option tomorrow night. Young Ben Mason continues to bring a different threat moving forward, and James Hayworth’s recall to the starting line-up was an excellent decision, as he brought some solidity down the left and gives us an attacking threat that has been missing in recent weeks.

As per my last preview we signed an experienced keeper in Mark Scott, and it will be interesting to see how Dan will manage both he and Paul Strudley moving forwards.

Tomorrow night’s night game, will be clearly a tough prospect but a game we need to get something from to keep the momentum going in our push up the table.

Match Preview by Martin French..

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