Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 – Issue 2

So since last weekend we have seen our team take two further hits, not just in the loss column but also in the financial wallet, as three red cards, Rackley, Stow and Collins will see the league handout fines to our club. This is not to say that any of three were not deserving of red cards, and the referees who may have got other decisions wrong, most fans think they were correct in these cases.

Back to the actual losses, and firstly Tuesday nights League Challenge Cup loss to Moneyfields on penalties. Yes, we had the vast percentage of play and chances, but again  due to some miss-hit shots, good saves, last ditch blocks, plus simple pure bad luck, we only found the back of the net once again. This was then thrown away by a late, late unnecessary equaliser six mins into what was ten minutes of added on time at the end of the game. Why six minutes, well simply it took an age for us to get a substitute keeper up and ready to replace Chris Rackley.

As for the penalties, once the first one beat replacement Andrew Charsley, Moneyfields never really looked like missing.

Then on Saturday, another spirited performance in a nine versus ten man game against Cinderford Town. This wasn’t the action-packed game, with many chances that we normally see, but a spirited hard-working performance for the last 50 minutes, but ultimately despite a quality equalising goal set-up by Andrady and finished by Herbert, another late goal kills all that hard work and sees us now sit at the bottom of the table.

More worryingly is that since the first game of the season, we have not score more than one goal in any game. In this level of football, you simply do not win many matches with that lack of goal output.

After tomorrow night’s Hants Snr Cup game against AFC Bournemouth, we travel down to the outskirts of Southampton this Saturday to take on AFC Totton, who picked up 3 vital points on the road to lowly Bristol Manor Farm. What line-up we will put out will be very interesting if the expected 3-match bans take affect by then.

Moving to the top of the table, leaders Frome Town did us no favours as they were unable to beat then bottom-placed Willand Rovers, drawing 1-1. This allowed Thatcham Town to close the gap with a 4-3 home win against Bideford Town, with two more goals scored by Kyle Tooze.

Up into third move Paulton Rovers after a brace by Edward Butcher and a goal by Ben Bament was enough to beat Moneyfields 3-2.

In 4th are our opponents in two weeks time (a lovely long Tuesday night trip) are Mangotsfield who had a comfortable 2-0 home win against Larkhall. I would love to know the language the Larkhall exhibited when they lose, it was disgraceful when they won!

Up into 5th place is Evesham Utd who inflicted Winchester City’s first defeat of the season in a 2-0 home win.

The Top Five in Our League

We now sit at the bottom of the table on goal difference from Willand Rovers who as stated picked up their first point of the season on the road.

There is now a four point gap between the bottom two and Bristol Manor Farm & Moneyfields who sit on five points..

Above them sit Barnstaple Town who have dropped into the bottom five after losing three games on the bounce. Last Saturday’s being a 0-3 home defeat to Slimbridge.

The Bottom Five in our League

Basingstoke Town League Goal Scorers Chart

Ben Wright 2

Claudio Herbert 2

Reece Rusher 1

Adam Everiss 1

This weekend’s games affecting us at the bottom of the table are;

With the FA Cup back in action this weekend, there is just one game that could affect us at the bottom;

Willand Rovers vs Barnstaple Town