Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-20 Season – Issue 9

Monday Morning Quarterback 2019-2010 Issue 9 Upon Further Review

Another Saturday, another game played in dreadful weather conditions saw us lose consecutive games in a row. With this loss we slipped one place in the league to 16th, as we drop below Sholing on goal difference.

What we did learn from yesterday’s hardworking if ultimately pointless outcome, was that the difference between the majority of the teams in this league is narrower than initially thought.

Again a good early chance was squandered, we then gave away that first goal and despite some luck for Paulton’s defence, our shooting was pretty poor for most of the game. You can hear many of our fans screaming every game for us to shoot from 25 to 30yds away, but after seeing every game this season, I just don’t think we currently have that shooting from distance type of player. Some of this maybe down to confidence in not wanting to waste an attacking movement, What we do have is pace and skill especially down the wings which then provide the crosses that put the back four of our opponents under pressure.

Our goals yesterday came from persistence by Zach Robinson, who then coolly took a couple of touches before sliding the ball past the Rovers impressive keeper and a somewhat fortunate header over the Rovers keeper’s only mistake of the game.

Many fans post-match comments thought Aaron Kuhl was our man-of-the-match, but I also would give some consideration to Zach Robinson, who made numerous breaks down the left and twice chased what seemed lost causes to keep the ball in play or force Rovers to play out from deep in their own half, plus of course scoring both our goals.

Rumours that impressive youngster right-back Alfie Saunders, may have played his last game for Stoke yesterday, were floating around the clubhouse after the game. If it is indeed his last game for Stoke (hope it’s not), then I’m sure many fans would like to thank him for all his efforts over the past couple of months and wish him all the best with his future with Forest Green Rovers.

Our next scheduled league game is Saturday 16^th November as we travel to face a team we have never played before, Willand Rovers, who are situated in another little village in Devon.

With five league matches falling foul to the weather, it was therefore surprising that the top three teams in the league won at home. Frome scraped home 1-0 against Sholing with an 84th minute winner by midfielder Rex Mannings.

In second place still sit Thatcham Town who unsurprisingly took apart bottom-placed Barnstaple Town 5-1. It did take the Blues a while to get going as they led just 1-0 at halftime. But then goals by Adam Kelly, ex-Stokie Matt Partridge, and Felipe Barcelos made it four nil, before a lone strike from Javan Wright, did nothing to change the result and an injury-time goal by Lamin Sankoh finished off the scoring.

Obviously Paulton remain 3rd and both Evesham (4th) and Slimbridge (5th), had their games postponed.

The Top Five in Our League

The Division One South league goal-scoring chart.

With the penalty conversion by Ben Bament yesterday, he still remains well clear of Melksham’s Jake Ball and Thatcham’s forward Felipe Barcelos.

Ok we have already covered our result as we move back into the bottom five, and Barnstaple who stay rooted to the bottom of the table.

The other three teams Melksham Town, Willand Rovers & AFC Totton all lay idle due to the weather.

The Bottom Five in our League

Basingstoke Town Goal Scorers Chart (Two Goals This week)

Games over the next seven Days

There are no league games scheduled this week, but a few teams have various cup matches to play.

On Tuesday there is;

Merthyr Town vs Cinderford Town (FA Trophy)

Winchester City vs Thatcham Town (League Cup)

On Wednesday:

Larkhall Athletic vs Paulton Rovers (FA Trophy)

If Cinderford and either Larkhall or Paulton win then that will postpone their weekend league games.

Looking ahead to next weekend’s league schedule, currently Thatcham Town, Melksham Town, AFC Totton and Sholing are already scheduled to play in the FA Trophy, thus already limiting the league schedule, leaving just the one match that affects us at the bottom of the table;

Barnstaple Town (20th) vs Frome Town (1st)

The club are looking to play a friendly next Saturday and any announcement of that will be confirmed early this week.