Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 Season – Issue 18

Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-2010 Issue 18 Upon Further Review

For the first time in a while, I can start this weeks review on a positive note, as we came away from the long trip down to North Devon with all three points from our vital relegation clash against Barnstaple Town.

Let me say this was by far the most hard-working team performance, and more importantly our first away win of the season.

If I have been critical of our recent defensive performances, then yesterday was the complete opposite, as every player battled, fought, shut down and tackled for the whole 90 minutes. It just goes to show hard work is rewarded.

I have to say this victory was also helped by Barnstaple who didn’t cope with the conditions in the first half, on a pitch which was not only pretty muddy, but also very bumpy, and they couldn’t cope with the vicious corners that were initially sent in by Ben Cook and Ryan Suckling. The Barum, then after 45 minutes of understanding the conditions, simply didn’t use the wind to their favour in the second-half. We as team unit also prevented them from using those conditions by hounding them across the whole pitch, and they simply got more and more frustrated, as the game went on, which resulted in their big centre-back’s dismissal with 20 minutes to go.

Our first goal, one of those in-swinging Ben Cook corners, that was an own goal, as it the post then hit the floundering keeper’s head, which then flew back into the net. The keeper admitted to those behind his goal on at least two occasions it was his goal. I do have to feel for their keeper as he took some awful stick for what happened. His two big central defenders did little to help him in the first-half, and Dean Stow’s headed goal was more down to them, than the keepers mis-reading the flight of the ball.

However, let’s not dwell on them, but on a performance by our team.

New-signing Josh Edwards backed-up Managers Dan Brownlie’s faith in him, by making vital interceptions and blocks at key times, but the same can be equally said of Adam Everiss, Dean Stow, Ryan Sucking and Alfie Saunders. This was also helped by the non-stop work of the midfield, as they worked tirelessly on a tough pitch. So Harrison Cliff, Ben Cook and D’Andre Brown, also take a bow.

Hard work put in by both Ben Wright and Bradley Wilson should also be noted, and if Bradley had taken one of those two chances, then the score-line could have been even wider.

However, and I know I keep using that word, the team now to reinforce and build on that performance with the upcoming games against Thatcham Town and relegation battlers AFC Totton in the next five days.

So well done Dan and the boys, let’s have some more of that fighting spirit!

Well our Tuesday opponents (weather permitting), Thatcham Town, are now starting to dominate the league and look strong candidates to be Champions, after a 0-4 win on the road at Willand Rovers. Midfielder George Jeacock got the scoring underway with a deflected goal on 12 mins. Forward Felipe Barcelos got his 12th and 13th goals of the season just before halftime, and the game was effectively over at the break. A fourth goal on 85 mins by forward Lamin Sankoh finished the scoring. Thatcham now have a seven point lead and a game in hand over second-placed Frome Town who were idle this Saturday.

In a distant third place are Winchester City despite beating Bristol Manor Farm at home 2-0. Goals by forward Simba Mlambo and Oliver Bailey inside the first 20 minutes, was more than enough to secure City the three points.

Fourth and fifth switched places, as Paulton Rovers beat Evesham in an eight-goal thriller 5-3, whilst Larkhall were held to a goal-less draw at home to AFC Totton.

The Top Five in Our League

The Division One South league goal-scoring chart.

Only Evesham’s Lee Chilton scored out of the top three this weekend, but a brace of goals for both Slimbridge’s Soloman Wanjau-Smith and Thatchams’s Felipe Barcelos, keep them in contention for the golden boot in the league.

Well whilst we switched places with Barnstaple Town, whilst AFC Totton continue on their slow recovery, as a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Larkhall, has them now unbeaten in their last three games with 1 win and 2 draws. This gives them a 2pt lead and a game in hand over us, as this Saturday’s reverse fixture against them looms large.

In 17th sit Moneyfields, who were also held to a goal-less draw at home to Bideford in front of pitiful crowd of just 48. Along with Sholing who sit in 16th place after a 2-4 home loss to Mangotsfield Utd, they both have a number of games over us and Barnstaple Town and thus would hope they could pull clear from the bottom.

There were two other games in our league, that neither affected the top or bottom, as Cirencester Town won 5-3 in a second-half shootout against Cinderford Town. The other was Melksham’s 4-2 victory on the road at Slimbridge.

The Bottom Five in our League Now Looks Like This

Basingstoke Town Goal Scorers Chart (A goal by Dean Stow and an own goal, pushed our league total upto 28 goals)

Apart from our match-up with Thatcham Town, there is just one other league game scheduled in our league this week. This is Bristol Manor Farm who host 4th placed Frome Town.

Ok whilst we host 18th placed AFC Totton, the other games affecting us at the bottom are;

Barnstaple Town (20th) vs Willand Rovers

Sholing (16th) vs Moneyfields (17th)

Up later today will be the Thatcham Town match preview.