Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 Season – Issue 13

Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-2010 Issue 13 Upon Further Review

Well Saturday’s game certainly didn’t help our goal difference and probably even more worrying is the confidence in the team must have taken a hit.

With this latest loss that runs our losing streak in the league to four matches, as we slip to next to bottom in the table.

A new defender and keeper made their first starts and neither came away with any real positive thoughts from those fans who attended the game.

Thinking about the game, I can‘t honestly remember us actually get a shot on target. Shots by Armsworth & Cliff in the first half went close, but wide. Second-half exertions by Wilson at the start and others by Wright were not on target. The keeper did collect a couple of crosses, and dived on the board once at the feet of Wright, but that was about it.

A couple of fans also stated that a few of our midfield players, once we lose the ball in the opposition half, struggle to get back behind the ball, thus leaving our defence under more pressure than necessary, and they certainly have a point.

Obviously emotions also run high amongst the fans, when a 90 minute performance is that poor, and let’s be clear it was poor!

Losses like this can generally take a few days for both players and fans alike to come to terms with the result and then hopefully, start to look forward to next weeks game.

Looking at the top of the league, Frome obviously remain top with the win and their closest rival Thatcham Town needed a 94th minute Kyle Tooze equaliser to earn a point in 2-2 draw at home to Cinderford Town. Thatcham’s other goal came from their leafing goal-scorer Felipe Barcelos who added his tenth goal of the season.

In 3rd remain Winchester City as they hosted 4th placed Paulton Rovers. The home team took an early lead when Jamie Barron converted a 9th penalty for handball. Paulton levelled the game just before halftime, when Rovers were also awarded a penalty. Ben Bament stepped up and slotted away his 13th goal of the season. Despite numerous second-half chances, neither team could score and both took a point. City despite having four games in hand over league leaders Frome, are now 11pts behind.

In 5th still sits Evesham Utd, who did Basingstoke no favours, as they lost on the road 3-1 at AFC Totton. The Stags took a two-goal halftime lead, behind Robin Nicholls thunderbolt strike and Silvano Obeng’s headed goal from a corner. Ten minutes into the second half, Evesham pulled a goal back through a Aaron Basford tap in, but United’s chance of getting a point was ended when forward Craig Feeney, rounded their keeper and slotted home into an empty net with just 3 minutes remaining.

The Top Five in Our League

The Division One South league goal-scoring chart.

Both Ben & Felipe Barcelos added to their totals this week, and are the only two to hit double figures for the season.

At the bottom of the table we are fortunate enough to have Barnstaple Town who lost for the eight game on the bounce, when a 93rd minute winner by Jacob Davidge, his second of the game, gave Highworth Town the 2-1 win.

We have already covered AFC Totton’s win above, who sit in 18th, whilst Melksham Town slipped back into the bottom five, after drawing 2-2 on the road at Larkhall Athletic. Melksham led two-nil at halftime behind goal by Phillip Ormrod and Aidan Chainey, but second-half goals on 68 mins by Dale Evans and an 80th minute equaliser by Alexander Lambert, met both teams split the points.

Sitting in 16th are now Moneyfields, who like us took a walloping like us as they lost 7-0 at Willand Rovers, who stormed into a three-goal halftime lead, then added a fourth two minutes after the break. Then with just four minutes remaining, Rovers added three more goals to make it an equally terrible afternoon out for the visitors and a very long journey home.

The two remaining games not covered were Bideford’s 3-0 win at home to Cirencester and Bristol Manor Farm’s unexpected 0-1 home loss to Mangotsfield Town.

The Bottom Five in our League Now Looks Like This

Basingstoke Town Goal Scorers Chart (No goals again this week)

As I write this late on a Sunday evening, there are three games scheduled this week. On Tuesday, our next two league opponents meet as Bideford host Evesham Utd, whilst Thatcham Town travel west down to play Bristol Manor Farm.

On Wednesday Slimbridge host Larkhall Athletic.

Ok taking a look at next Saturday’s fixtures that may affect at the bottom of the table are as follows;

Barnstaple Town (20th) vs Melksham Town (17th) (A six-pointer)

Mangotsfield Utd vs AFC Totton (18th)

Moneyfields (16th) vs Evesham Utd

Just a couple of weeks ago we were looking at teams like Willand Rovers and Sholing at the bottom, but Willand have now won three in a row, whilst Sholing have won three out of the last four games.