Match Preview: Southern League Premier Division South
Taunton Town vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 29th August 2026 Kick-off 3pm
The Viridor Stadium, Wordsworth Drive, Taunton, TA1 2HG
Taunton Town (The Peacocks), 2026-27 League Position 8th
Last Saturday’s well-earned draw, against Bath, where we could have picked up all three points, now has us travelling to another Somerset-based team in Taunton Town.
Last season, we visited Taunton back in August and trailing with minutes to go a neat finish by James Clark earned us a point. Then last March, in a game that went back and forth, a late Clark penalty was wiped out by an even later Taunton penalty, gave the visitors a point in a 3-3 draw.
Our Opponents
The Peacocks continue to be managed by the experienced Gary Johnson, who took over in December 2025, and pulled the club out from any relegation worries. His 30-year career includes managing across a number of levels of football and includes taking Yeovil Town from non-League football into the Championship, securing promotion with Bristol City, and winning league titles at both Cheltenham Town and Torquay United.
The Peacocks currently sit in eighth place with a record of PLd 4 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 2 GF 11 GA 10 and 6pts. They have won both their home games, beating newly-promoted Malvern Town 5-2, then four days later defeating Berkhamsted 2-1. Their two losses were a 2-0 defeat at Hanworth Villa on opening day, then last Saturday’s goal crazy 5-4 loss at Uxbridge. Last season, Taunton were in real danger of getting relegated, but they went on an eight-game unbeaten run (5 wins, 3 draws), to end the season, pulling them away from the relegation places.
Their leading goalscorer is attacking midfielder Dylan Jones with three goals at this stage. He joined from Gloucester’s failed promotion bid, having been one of a number of Tiverton players who left the Tivvys, when they had financial concerns last season. Striker Ben Seymour (2 goals), is back for another season, after a season-long loan from Torquay Utd, having been on loan at AFC Totton prior to that. Scott Robinson (2 goals), joined Taunton Town in December 2025 from Bideford and scored some important goals in their relegation battle. Previously at Brixham AFC. Ex-Weston-Super-Mare striker Jay Murray, was on a month’s loan, and may still be available tomorrow afternoon.
In midfield apart from Dylan Jones, is Jack Rice, (2 goals), whose back for another season with the Peacocks, having signed an 18-month contract after leaving Chorley FC. Attacking midfielder Alfie Moulden, joined the club in 2024 and previously played for Western-Super-Mare & Plymouth Parkway. Another ex-Tiverton player is wide midfielder, Gabe Billington, who joined at the end of the summer, and was part of Exeter City’s Academy, spending four years with the Grecians on a full-time basis as both a trainee and a professional.
Defensively, Nick Grimes, is the Peacocks’ longest-serving player, and is listed as the team captain, but he’s not played in Taunton’s opening four games, so Jamie Richards, back for another season, currently captain’s the team. Another ex-Tiverton player, he has also made 275 appearances for Truro City. Niall Thompson, also joined from Tiverton Town in the summer of 2025, after six-years at Truro City, and before that Weymouth and Bideford. Max Davies is a left-sided defender they signed two weeks ago, and has started the last three games. He was formerly at Bristol City. Another defender is Jack Anthony. A local lad from Taunton, Jack has been part of Gary Johnson’s squad throughout pre-season and joins on a work experience loan from Exeter City. Freddie Godden returns as the starting goalkeeper, and is currently still on-loan from Bristol City.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Stoke’s all-round strong performance last week at home to Bath City, probably deserved more than the point for the draw. A fairly even first-half, then saw us have a large amount of possession, and one or two half chances, that could have earned us all three points. The point leaves us in fourteenth place with our earlier record at PLd 4 Won 1 Drawn 1 Lost 2 GF 6 GA 7 and 4pts
Our strikeforce took a major blow this week, as it was announced that Jedidiah Brown, who was injured at the Poole game, will be out through injury, for some considerable time, and added to the ongoing uncertainty of Cheick Sylla’s return, it leaves the strikeforce a little light, with Miles Obodo who has been excellent, but close to the end of his month-long loan from Farnham, Jeremiah Okine-Peters, and young Finn Evans, alongwith Christos Papkonstantinou, as the potential starters. Romanian Andrei Chiriac is likely now fit and could earn a role on the bench tomorrow afternoon.
The midfield looked strong against a good Bath side, and dominated large parts of the game. This was led by Louis McGrory, whilst Tom Blake once again displayed what a talent he is across the pitch the whole game, and was our goalscorer on the day. They were supported by a forward looking defensive back five, and then D’Andre Brown as a second-half substitute. James Henry was an unused sub last week, whilst there could be the return of Amardeep Singh in this area, who looks fit and back from injury. Aleks Kokoszka is another good option here, whilst John Adebiyi, may still be sidelined. Joe Lewis-Evans, is out on dual registration. It is unclear on Lloyd Snell’s injury-status.
The defence looked string the whole game and kept Bath’s decent strikeforce, with the only goal being a mix-up at the back, that Bath took full advantage of. Unless something has changed, then the line-up could be pretty much the same, which would mean a back five of Billy Upton, Alex Solomon, Sulayman Ceesay, with Casey Bocarro the potential right-wingback, and Joe O’Loughlin on the left. I say Bocarro, who has played well on the right, is now challenged by incoming Jonathan Gjoshe, who was a late substitution last week. Simon Grant, will once more don the goalkeepers jersey tomorrow afternoon, and will look to keep out a decent Taunton strikeforce. Both Jack Ball & Ben Jefford are approximately three weeks away from the match-day squad. Unclear on Scott Armsworth’s injury postion.
Tomorrow is the first of two quick games, with us hosting Bracknell on Monday, so I would expect a number of second-half changes if the game situation is right.
After two strong performances picking up four of six points, it would be nice to finally get our first win down at Taunton.
For those travelling down, bring a coat as rain is expected all-day down in Somerset.
See you down there.
Let’s Go Stoke !
Match Preview by Martin French..
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