Monday Morning Quarterback – Week 16 Upon Further Review

Monday Morning Quarterback –  Week 16 Upon Further Review

Sunday evening, reflecting on yesterday’s deserved win, a right hook worthy of any decent professional boxer, the return to fitness of Kennedy, Pearse and Bayliss and three valuable points, we sit in the slightly precarious 15^th place, knowing results week to week will ultimately determine our position.

As I stated in the match report, I thought the defence along with the holding Michael Atkinson held a good Swindon Supermarine team at bay for most of the game.  The return of Harry Pearse, not only gives us more of a bite in midfield, but allows Sam Deadfield a more open role and allows a more fluid passing movement as we enter the oppositions half.

Thought Sam Smart played a lot better against a good left back, and he put in three sublime crosses that somehow, we could not put over the goal-line.

Again chances were missed to put this game to bed and yet again when the opponents keeper was a back-up we failed to put him under any real pressure, until the Pearse goal, which was not his fault.

It’s three points and the next real tester is against fellow strugglers Dorchester Town, where our recent league record is pretty poor. Dorchester sit in the final relegation spot just two points behind us, so this is sure to be battle on yet another 3G surface.

Concerns, we are still to win a competitive league or cup match on an artificial surface!!

Matches Around Our League

Well after a period of months, we finally have new League Leaders as Taunton were replaced by Weymouth who comfortably dealt with Hendon in a convincingly 3-0 home win. A first half goal by Benjamin Thompson was then added to in the second-half by winger Emanuel Odubade and a late third by Calvin Brooks.

Taunton slipped to second as they struggled at home against Hartley Wintney, having to come from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw. Mitchell Parker got the scoring underway, scoring for the 10^th time in the league in 2019, but Daniel Sullivan levelled it just before half-time. The villagers then took the lead just past the hour, before Taunton pegged them back with an 80^th minute conversion by Andrew Neal.

In 3rd place now sits the Met Police who overtook Salisbury who lost at home to Kings Langley 1-2. The Met Police in front of a pitiful 136, took a 3-0 lead inside 21 minutes, a volley by Luke Robertson, a cross/come shot by Guinness-Walker and a header from Junior Eldstal, seemed to put the game away, but Wimborne Town then got going in the second-half. Goals by Luke Holmes on 48 mins and then their leading goal-scorer Tobias Holmes pulled the Magpies within one goal, on 71 minutes. However, the Old Bill put the game away on 83 minutes with a Luke Robertson goal that gave them a 4-2 win.

The Whites, Salisbury, came unstuck at home to the Kings (Kings Langley) 1-2. The visitors took the lead on 19 minutes when Jermaine Howe slotted home from close range. They held the lead until 58^th minute when Lewis Benson responded. Then with the game looking to end a draw, up-popped a spectacular shot from Joshua Coldicott-Stevens on 89 mins to snatch all 3 points. Salisbury now sit in 4^th place and nine points clear of the last playoff spot.

The final playoff spot is probably the most interesting one in the league, as currently Poole Town hold this place on goal difference from Kings Langley and one point from Harrow Borough. Poole Town were the latest team to lose to Chesham Utd, who won 5-1. The Dolphins fell behind to David Pearce’s first of a brace on 13 minutes the only goal of the first half. However, things were quick to unravel for Poole, as goals Ryan Blake on 52 mins, Pearce’s 2^nd on 65 mins gave the Generals a 3-0 nil lead.  Then there were two goals within a minute, a penalty for Poole Town and a goal by Luke Warner-Eley. The scoring finished when Jefferson Louis added the 5^th on 89 mins.

Kings Langley’s win at Salisbury put them ahead of Harrow Borough who could only manage a 1-1 draw at Merthyr Town.

Ok, the top of the table now looks like this;

At the bottom of the table, can I first take a second to congratulate Staines Town  who not only won their 4^th game of the season, but in doing so also helped Basingstoke and other relegation battlers a favour by beating Frome Town 1-0 at Wheatsheaf Park. The only goal of the game was scored by Andrew Juett on 33 mins and now leaves Frome Town struggling 9 points from safety.

Still in 20^th place is Dorchester Town, who earned a point in a 2-2 draw at Farnborough. Goals by Boro’s Perry Coles either side of the Magpies Benjamin Seymour & Thomas Blair’s goals were enough to secure a point each.

In 19^th are Gosport Borough who lost at home to Tiverton Town 0-1, who pulled further away from the relegation zone themselves with the win. Tiverton’s forward Levi Landricombe scoring the only goal on 46 minutes.

Hendon who I covered earlier now slipped into 18^th place and above them all on goal difference sit Walton Casuals, Beaconsfield Town and Basingstoke All four teams have 41 points.

Beaconsfield and Walton fought out a 1-1 draw at Holloways Park, with Walton’s Taurean Roberts scoring an 86^th minute equaliser to Beaconsfield’s 14^th minute Aaron Minhas opener.

Going forward I have now increased the relegation table to show the bottom five clubs, however if it continues to keep this close, I may need to add the bottom seven or eight;

Basingstoke Town leading Goal Scorer Chart

With our goals in the league now standing at 63, there is little change to the table.

Sam Argent 12

Dean Stow 9

Sam Deadfield 7

Sam Smart 6

Harry Pearse 5

Zidane Akers 4

Jack McKnight 4 (Eastleigh Town)

Ben Wright 4

Manny Williams 2 (Slough Town)

Dan Collier 2

Oliver Harris 2

Own Goals 2

Callum Bunting 2 (Departed)

Dan Bayliss 1

Shane Hollamby 1

Games This Week

Even though a number of teams in our league are playing in different County Cup competitions , there are still four league games on Tuesday night, with two of them in the relegation battle.

Frome Town (21^st) Vs Beaconsfield Town (16^th)

Merthyr Town Vs Dorchester Town (20th)

Your MMQ – Martin French