Match Preview: Isthmian League South Central Division
Tooting & Mitcham Utd Vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 12th March 2022 Kick-off 3pm
Where: The Campus Society Stadium, Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Road, Morden, Surrey. SM4 BF
Tooting & Mitcham Utd (Nickname – Terrors ), Average 2021-22 Home Attendance 231
Ticket Prices – Online ticket Prices via www.tmunited.org Adults £10.00, Concessions £5 (Over 60’s), Under 18’s £1 NB. U16’s must be accompanied by Adult
Matchday Prices Adults £11.00, Concessions £6 (Over 60’s), Under 18’s £21 NB. U16’s must be accompanied by Adult
Yes back on the road, we picked up a hugely important win at promotion chasers Uxbridge, in a performance that probably deserved more than the two-nil scoreline. Chances came and were missed early, but once again the defence stood firm and was unable to be breached in the ninety minutes
This Saturday we head back on the road this time into Surrey to take on a faltering Tooting & Mitcham Utd side, who we beat 3-2 at Winklebury back in November. Goals then by Dunn after just one minute, then further goals by Reid & Wilson were enough for all three points.
Our Opponents
The Terrors are jointly managed by Ashley Bosah & Cornelius Nwadialor, who have both progressed through the club as they previously managed their U23 side.
Tooting who sat comfortably in mid-table prior to Christmas, have faltered badly and have not won since their 1-0 home victory over Westfield back on the 18th December 2021. With this in mind they have still had reasonable draws at home to Uxbridge (1-1), and at Northwood (2-2) just last month, and as their record shows they keep games tight in most cases.
Their record following their latest loss (4-2) at second-placed Chertsey Town last weekend, shows them sitting in a worrying 16th, place with a record of PLD 27 Won 6 Drawn 6 Lost 15 GF 35 GA 47 PTS 24. Their home record shows that they are better at home with 4 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses at Imperial Fields.
Their leading goal-scorer is Dan Williams with 14 goals on the season, but he appears not to have played since early January. After him it is midfielder Mark Walters, regarded as a dynamic box to box midfielder who has 11 goals on the season. Other forwards include Mike Dixon
In midfield apart from Walters they have Anuar Ceesay who also has four goals and is a product of their academy. Shamal Edwards is another attacking midfielder who joined from Chalfont St Peter, after having played for Bedfont Sports. They also have Billy Brown who joined the club in the 2019-20 season. They also have Jordan Clarke who is in his second spell at the club, having arrived this time from Haywards Heath. One other midfielder is Reece Cave who recently joined from Staines Town.
In defence they have Corey Walters-Wright who has a commanding presence at the back, since joining the Terrors. He has had spells at Kent-based clubs East Grinstead, Sittingbourne and Chatham Town. With him is Nathan Daly who played various levels of Non-League football including clubs such as Sutton Utd, Whyteleafe and Corinthian Casuals.
In goal for the Terrors will be Ollie Pain, who is an experienced goalkeeper and joined the Terrors from Barking at the end of November 2021.
Although Tooting sit just three points above a relegation spot, they have nothing to lose and will put pressure on us from the start.
Your Basingstoke Town Side
Yet once more our away form keeps us within our goal of making the playoffs, with another all-round performance against a decent Uxbridge side. Some will say the sending off of Uxbridge’s Mahlondo Martin made a difference, but let’s be clear we had by that stage had already taken control of the game and missed two clear chances early on. The eventual opening goal just past the half-hour was down to a low cross that only a Stoke player, this being Stefan Brown, who really wanted to get that touch, and his side-foot finish left the keeper with little hope. We continued to dominate possession and chances, but it was not until substitute Lloyd Snell who put the game safe, when he also slotted home another close range with ten minutes to go. The win initially propelled us into fourth place, but with mid-week games for other playoff teams, we have slipped back outside the playoff places into sixth
Our record now has us at PLD 27 Won 16 Drawn 6 Lost 5 GF 52 GA 36 Pts 54. Our away record continues to impress and sits with ten wins, three draws and just the one loss at Bracknell last year.
The forward line led by Stefan Brown & Bradley Wilson (21 goals combined), could see the much awaited return of leading goal-scorer Connor Lynch, but if he does he is likely to start from the bench.
Both wingers George Reid & Mckoy Palmer were unused substitutes last Saturday, but one could make the start this weekend depending on how we set-up for the game.
Simon Dunn and Ben Cook drove the team forward, creating chances for Brown & Wilson, and there is no reason why either should lose their starting role. Brody Peart again played well as an attacking midfielder but with other players available, this may see him start on the bench, knowing he has also been useful with his pace when he has come on. The other possible midfielder slot looks to be Anton Rodgers, who is Dan’s first choice for dead-ball kicks, which means that D’Andre Brown & Lloyd Snell both second-half substitutes may also likely be on the bench as well. Ditto for Marco Magalhaes-Nevez
The defence stood firm last week and the centre-backs Nathan Smart & Rob Sheridan shut down any real attack of note, and they both looked commanding in their own penalty area, and it was Sheridan who started the move for the second goal, with a timely interception and neat pass out from the back.
Both Aiden Lewis in his first game for some time and James Haworth both shut down most attacks down the wings. It will be interesting to see what Dan decides his line-up is if right-back Dan Williamson is fit to play.
Paul Strudley. Looked solid from crosses once again, and only had to make two notable saves the whole game, as the defence cut out most attacks. Struds, will no doubt wear the starting jersey once again.
Match 28 of 36, is on paper one we should continue our excellent away form and Stoke players and fans alike will head upto Surrey with the expectation of returning with all three points, but we will need to take our chances when they come along, but then again that is what football is all about.
I am expecting another good turnout by Stoke fans, despite some issues of rail transport to the game, and let’s get behind the team like last Saturday.
Match Preview by Martin French.