Match Preview: Bet Victor Division One South
Cinderford Town v Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 25th January 2020 Kick-off 3pm
Where: The Causeway, Edgehills Road, Cinderford, Glos. GL14 2QH
Cinderford Town (Nickname – The Foresters), Average 2019-20 Home Attendance 161
Well another of the reverse fixtures sends us deep into the heart of the Forest of Dean and up the mountainside, to take on Cinderford Town, who have scored numerous goals in each of their last two matches including last night’s 5-1 home thrashing of Bristol Manor Farm. Last Saturday they went to Evesham and came away 0-4 winners, so we will be playing a team, not in form, but scoring goals.
We hosted Cinderford back on a very hot summer day in September losing 1-2, which was known more for the three red cards in the game. On 13 minutes, a heavy mid-air challenge between Dean Stow and The Foresters No.4 saw Dean get a straight red card, then a full two minutes later the referee gave the same red card to the recovering visiting defender. Then just before the break Reuben Collins is given a straight red card for a last man tackle, and Stoke are down to nine men. The game stayed goal-less, until the 73rd minute when they scored from a corner. Stoke however struck back with a superb run and finish by Claudio Herbert on 78 mins. But with time running out , we failed to close down the visitors and a rasping 25yd shot flew into the net past Rackley who was in goal back then and the visitors held onto win.
Following last night’s win they now sit in 7th place with an overall record of PLD 20 WON 10 DRAWN 3 LOST 7 GF 45 GA 34 PTS 33.
They are managed by Paul Michael who is in his third season at the club.
The Foresters home record, sits at 5 Wins, 1 Draw and 3 Losses, so that means they are beatable at home.
Their leading goal-scorer is defender Andrew Lewis with 10 goals. Lewis, 29 is also their penalty-taker. The rest of their goals come mainly from forwards James Harding (9), Craig Norman (7) and Joshua Hunt with 7, this included a hat-trick 24 hours ago, in the 5-1 thrashing of Bristol Manor Farm.
For those who remember the last time we visited way back in August 2016, not only does their pitch slope down the hillside, it was the infamous George Hallahan/Jason Bristow shirt throwing incident. That day we came away from the Causeway with deserved 2-3 victory, with goals by Rob Atkinson, Dan Collier and Sam Deadfield, who are all plying their trade elsewhere nowadays.
Moving on to our Basingstoke Town side, let’s hope we can get back to winning ways, as the AFC Totton performance that dominated possession, needs to be finished with goals, and this is of major concern to management and fans alike.
We still sit in 19th place as I write this preview, with an overall league record of PLD 21 Won 4 Drawn 3 Lost 14 GF 28 GA 58 with 15pts, and with 17 games remaining, a win this Saturday would be a perfect start.
On the injury front, currently I am aware of injuries to Elliott Bolton (Ankle), and Durrell Brown (Knee), whilst both Scott Armsworth and Ryan Suckling have ongoing winter illnesses.
On a good front, Harrison Cliff resumed training last night and would expect to be in the squad on the trip to Gloucestershire.
Although defence is of vital importance and we have a long way to improve on that front, we simply needs to score goals and currently that means forwards Ben Wright, Ben Dillon and Bradley Wilson, need to take those chances.
Also sitting on the bench is young Mikey Davis, who has the pace that other forwards lack, and is it time to give him a chance to kick-start the attack?
Manager Dan Brownlie, will have a tough decision on how to line-up this Saturday, and will have to take into account the sloping pitch, a team that is scoring goals aplenty, and one that is pushing for promotion.
It is currently expected to be dry this weekend for the two-hour trip to Cinderford, but as we have known in the past, that weather can change quite easily.
For those travelling my car or coach, lets get behind the boys this Saturday, and hope for a touch of luck, that has sadly been missing this season.
Match Preview by Martin French..
English 
Polish 
Hi Martin
Think your memory is letting you down. Our pitch at Cinderford is not sloping. It has a slight fall from end to end to assist water run off but is otherwise level, so I don’t think your Manager will have to make plans to combat the slope!
Safe journey tomorrow.
Hi Graham, thanks for your comments, and maybe my memory is not what it was, but a slight slope or slight fall, it is certainly more than our old Camrose pitch, the Winchester pitch or our future pitch at Winklebury.
Yes we are looking to have a full coach of players and fans tomorrow, and hope to arrive a little after 1pm.
Cheers
Martin..
Memory flaky anything B4 yesterday! Was this the ground where the paint on the food outlet was still drying and they, Cinderford, newly promoted, were subsequently relegated at the end of the season? Pleasant welcome if I remember correctly! Hey ho.
I remember they had a food kiosk behind the small stand, attached to the clubhouse. As I said a nice friendly club, with stewards who were helpful rather than confrontational. One of their board members gave three of us a lift into the Town to meet up with others in “The Fern Ticket” pub pre-game.
Go straight to our Clubhouse guys as the Fern is currently closed for refurb with new owners. Dry day forecast but wrap up as we are 600 feet above sea level! Check out Cinderford Town TV on YouTube if you want to check out our pitch!
Graham no worries, think we will wait for the game tomorrow. Is there no other pub in town nearby?
Fern is the only big pub in town Centre. Dog House micro pub but not sure of their opening time. Golden Lion opens late until early hours so no good. Our Club has plenty of room and a good range of beers. Seem to recall Winchester bar only did cans last time I was there a few years ago.
Thanks Graham, we are intending to frequent your bar a touch before kick-off, halftime and afterwards. Are you allowed to take drinks out in plastic cups?
Do you no what real ales it has, ciders etc. Clubhouse was ok last time.
As for Winchester, it has slightly improved but still poor in servicing our fans needs.
You can take drinks outside with plastic cups no problem. No real ales on draught unfortunately 😩
If you want to stop at a good pub in Littledean (just outside town on your way in if you approach from A48 and A4151) it’s The Belfry. Real ales there.
Unfortunately we are on the players coach, unlike last time when I drove the supporters minibus. Will see what the majority of fans want to do. Anyway thanks Graham and see you tomorrow.