Match Preview: Southern League Premier Division South
Gloucester City vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 2nd November 2024 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Tiger Turf Stadium, Sudmeadow Road, Gloucester GL2 5HD
Gloucester City (The Tigers), Avg 2024-25 Home Att 862
Back-to-back draws against teams much lower than us in the league, now brings us face-to-face against the league leaders Gloucester City, with Basingstoke in much need to get back to winning ways.
Our Opponents
The Tigers are managed by Mike Cook, who is in his second spell at the club following his spell in 2019, in trying to save the club from relegation. He rejoined the Tigers in September 2023 after time at Chippenham Town and Swindon Town women.
Gloucester sit top of the table with an impressive record of Pld 13 Won 9 Drawn 3 Lost 1 and 30pts. Their one loss was back at the end of August, losing 1-0 at Dorchester Town. Their home record sits at 6 wins from six matches. Their leading goalscorer is attacking midfielder Joe Hanks, who has twelve league goals so far this season and has been at the club since 2015. Striker Brandon Smalley has five league goals, and joined in 2023 from Leeds Utd academy. Smalley added ten goals last season. Ed Williams is another striker similar to Hanks who played at Cheltenham Town and has spent time at Kidderminster Harriers & EFL side Doncaster Rovers. King Baidoo is a pacy attacker who originates from Ghana, and has one league goal.
Apart from Hanks in midfield, Daryle Grubb who spent most of his time at Weston-Super-Mare where he scored 123 goals whilst there. ‘Dubliner’ Kevin Dawson is also the captain of the team, who played for Shelbourne, and Yeovil Town. Harry Emmett is a left-sided midfielder who started at Chippenham Town, as well as time at Longlevens & Cinderford Town. Harry Pinchard is regarded as a creative midfielder who joined from Hereford Town.
The defence contains 6ft 5 centre-back Brendon Richards-Everton, has a wealth of experience in both the SPL & EFL, having played for Dunfermline, Accrington Stanley, Bradford City and others and joined the Tigers in the 2023-24 season. On the right will likely be Daniel Leadbetter, who spent most of his career at Bristol Rovers, before joining in 2021. After a short-break he is back for 2024. Tyrone Duffus, is a defender who was from Everton academy, and made professional appearances for Oldham & Barnet, before joining via Swindon Supermarine. Dan Ball is a left-sided defender, who joined from Taunton in 2024, having played over 300 times for Bath City. In goal will more than likely be Jared Thompson, who started at Swindon Town, but then spent seven years at Chelsea’s academy, where he won three FA Youth Cups & two UEFA Youth Cups. He left in 2019 for Weymouth and joined City in 2024. Note the back-up is Conor Thompson, the brother of Jared.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
A more attacking line-up, not helped by flag-heavy linesman saw us fail to take the lead when on top in the first twenty minutes at Swindon, and defensive errors then saw us go two behind before a fight back in the last fifty minutes of the game to earn us a point. With us being just one of a few league teams that played last Saturday, the point pushed us back into fifth place, and our league record now sits at a draw heavy Pld 13 Won 5 Drawn 7 Lost 1.
How we set-up tomorrow afternoon, will clearly depend on how adventurous we wish to be on the road against a team with a 100% home record, plus if Brody Peart or George Reid are able to make a significant contribution tomorrow. Assuming that Liam Ferdinand (who found yet the net once more last Saturday), and has nine goals now, is the starting main striker, he could have Nnamdi Nwachuku alongside him and possibly Peart if he is fit to start. Jonny Efedje, who made a noticeable impact when substituted on and Dan Warre are likely options off the bench.
The midfield will see the return of Sam Deadfield from suspension, and should be joined by Rudy Allen who has been a mainstay in the middle. This should leave either Max Smith, Simon Dunn or D’Andre Brown with a role to fill. Flynn Bolton impressed in his short returning appearance and would be another good option off the bench.
After praising how well our defence has been, it was two errors at the back, that allowed Swindon Supermarine to take a two goal lead, before the fight back started by man-mountain centre-back Billy Upton. Jack Ball appears to have won the other centre-back role, which unless we go with a back five, it means James Clark may be the back-up on the bench. Markus Johnson-Schuster will start on the right having served his one-match suspension, and assuming Curtis Angell is back and available will start on the left. With Clark on the bench and a potential similar role for Josh Grant, then Aleks Kokoszka may miss out this weekend. Simon Grant will don the goalkeepers jersey once more tomorrow afternoon.
Again a lot depends on how we set-up tomorrow afternoon, and we can expect Gloucester will come at us for the whole game, so Stoke will need to be at their fighting best and be up for the challenge.
A bumper crowd is expected as first plays fifth in the table, so Dan and the boys will need your full vocal support tomorrow afternoon.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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