Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 Season – Issue 14

Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-2010 Issue 14 Upon Further Review

For once we can start this review on a much more positive note, as a 45 minute performance of battling in midfield, and three superb goals, was in the end just enough to give us our third win of the season and more importantly a much needed three points, against a team, who at times looked better than their away record represented.

Fortunately, the Robins defence looked wide open in the first half and we took full advantage of that. Aiden Harris who made the start looked decent coming forward and made the opening goal with a cross to Bradley Wilson , who was on his own, but was perfectly onside when he tapped the ball away, as I was inline with the linesman at the time of the attack.

If you give Ben Wright enough time and space, then he will make you pay and he did that twice in a 10 minute span.

Throughout the game and especially in the second-half we struggled to deal with their long throw-ins and again we seemed to lose more aerial threats than we should. Added to this was the lack of understanding on how to hold onto the ball, when we are under pressure. This is not a new thing at the club and a major reason why we got relegated last season. Those late goals cost us critical points and was a major factor for our relegation. Yes this hasn’t been so much of an issue with results this season, but last Saturday, it nearly came back to bite us.

That all said, there was a vast improvement in the way we battled for the ball and we threw ourselves in front of the opposition at times when we were under pressure in our penalty area.

Aaron Kuhl’s return proved why he is playing at a higher level at Slough. It is hoped that it won’t affect the make-up of the team when his loan ends.

Comments about how poor the referee was yesterday, were justified when you look at the 50/50 challenges, and he seemed to fall for Bideford’s tactics of claiming for everything at times. Where he found seven minutes of added time in the second-half also amazed me and many others.

But in the end at about 4.55pm, we all had a sigh of relief, after picking up that vital win.

Taking a look at the results at the top of our league Saturday, we saw league leaders Frome halt the recent success of Winchester City, with a 2-0 home win. A 15th minute strike by forward Kane Simpson, gave them a halftime lead, and the game was settled with 10 minutes to go after a close-range Matt Smith volley doubled the Robins lead.

Still chasing them in second, are Thatcham Town, who remain two points behind, after a narrow 0-1 win on the road at Highworth Town. Despite hitting the bar numerous times it was left-footed strike on 29 mins by forward George Jeacock, that sent Thatcham the short distance back down the M4 with all three points.

In third are Paulton Rovers who leapfrogged over Winchester City when they beat Bristol Manor Farm 4-2 at home. Trailing early, a Marcus Day brace sent Rovers up 2-1 at halftime. Rovers increase their lead just past the hour following a deflected free-kick from Ben Withey. Manor Farm gave themselves a hint of a comeback when they pulled a goal back four minutes from time. However, the leagues leading goal-scorer Ben Bament made it 4-2 from the penalty spot deep into added time.

In fifth remain Evesham Utd (our opponents next week), despite getting humbled 4-1 on the road at lowly Moneyfields. In front of a pitiful 72 fans, it was the Stephen Hutchings show, as he added all four goals for the Monies. Two goals within the first ten minutes, were then matched with two very late goals, which pushed them back up away from the relegation zone.

The Top Five in Our League

The Division One South league goal-scoring chart.

Ben Bament added to his total again, whilst we have a new entrant in forward Daniel Demkiv of Mangotsfield Utd, who added a hat-trick saturday.

At the bottom of the table, despite our win we remained in 19^th place as AFC Totton, went on the road to Mangotsfield and came away with a point after a 3-3 draw. The Stags trailing 3-1 at halftime through a Daniel Demkiv hattrick, pulled a goal back just before the hour, then snatched the point deep into injury-time.

Bideford with their loss to us, dropped back into the relegation zone to 17th place.

In 16th place sit Melksham Town, who despite their 1-3 win on the road to bottom-placed Barnstaple Town, still remain in the danger zone. Two second-half goals by Luke Ballinger condemned Barnstaple to their 12th consecutive league defeat.

The Bottom Five in our League Now Looks Like This

Basingstoke Town Goal Scorers Chart (Ok Ben Wright’s brace against Bideford puts him on top of the goal-scoring chart)

Currently, there are just two league games this week, both on Tuesday evening. One of them does affect us as AFC Totton travel to Cirencester Town. The other match is Highworth Town’s visit to Winchester City.

This Saturday’s fixtures that may affect at the bottom of the table are as follows;

AFC Totton (18th) vs Paulton Rovers

Bideford AFC (17th) vs Highworth Town

Cirencester Town vs Barnstaple Town (20th)

Melksham Town (16th) vs Mangotsfield Utd