Monday Morning Quarterback – Week 5 Upon Further review

Ok after 3 steps forward, it’s one step back, as Basingstoke went down heavily under the rainy Wiltshire weather.

We again sit in 18^th place just two places above the relegation zone

We started fairly well and created the first few chances and took the lead on 10mins as Akers found Argent who poked it home.

Akers who was celebrating his 20^th birthday this weekend, can’t seem to buy a goal, as although he was in the game a lot more, his finishing seems to continue to let him down. To be perfectly fair, the whole forward line and midfield were not at their best today. They toiled away on the wet pitch which held up well to all the rain, but we never really created too many clear and open chances.

However, letting in four second-half goals, and it could have been a few more, just proves the work that Martin Kuhl still has to do in that area. Hollamby returned in the centre of defence and as others have commented on the forum previously may not be the quickest of defenders along with Stow. The slick surface probably didn’t help us either and we failed time and time again to cut out numerous crosses into our 6 yard box.

As we move into Christmas, New Year and the winter months, the pitches are only likely to get heavier, and we will need to deal with lots of games in January as we catch-up on league matches and we are still in both the League Challenge Cup and Hampshire Snr Cup.

We don’t have a mid-week game unlike 12 other teams, so not only can we rest any injured players, but this gives Martin Kuhl 7 days to come-up with a winning game-plan for the Walton game.

Walton, however, will definitely travel to us knowing that they can play better, and they also saw how we set-up when we narrowly beat them in the League Cup.     

There were 8 other games scheduled for last Saturday, but we lost three of those due to the weather. These were Chesham Utd’s visit to Poole Town, Tiverton Town hosting Gosport Borough and Met Police’s visit to Wimborne Town.

In the other games, we saw top of the table Taunton Town travel to North Hampshire and come unstuck at Hartley Wintney 3-1. After a goal-less first half, Jack French (no relative), got the scoring underway, only for the Peacocks to level it via an own goal 6 minutes later. However, a goal on 68 mins and an injury-time goal secured the three points for the home team. 

Taunton still remain 5pts clear at the top as 2^nd placed Weymouth and 3^rd placed Salisbury both had their home FA Trophy matches lost to the weather. With Met Police game at Wimborne also lost to the weather.

Hendon FC held onto 5^th place despite losing yet again. This time being demolished by next week’s opponents Walton Casuals 5-1. The Stags leading goal-scorer James Ewington bagged the first four goals and now has 13 league goals on the season.  Hendon have now lost 5 of their last 6 games.

Harrow Borough switched places with Merthyr Town, and kept all 11 players on the pitch this week as they dealt the Welsh Club a 3-0 thumping, with all goals coming in the second-half.

Note – All those Basingstoke fans who will travel to Merthyr by car for the match in late January will be at least £5 better off, now the Severn Bridge toll has been shut.

The top of the table looks like this;

At the bottom of the table, with Chesham Utd idle due to the weather, Frome Town took full advantage as they beat bottom-placed Staines Town 2-0. Goals by Jordan Rogers and  Rory Gorman, leave Staines Town 9pts adrift of the team above them.

Lastly and not least was the continuing improvement of Kings Langley, as they sent Farnborough home with a 5-1 demolition. Both Mitchell Weiss & Louie Collier bagging a pair of goals.

The bottom 3 relegation places now look like this;

FA Trophy Round-up

I’m not sure what’s in the water down in Dorset, as Dorchester Town continued their amazing away day goal-scoring feats with another 4, as they took apart Eastbourne Borough in the FA Trophy 1^st round proper match.

However, Beaconsfield Town were not quite so lucky on the road as they were swept aside at Brisbane Road by National League Leyton Orient 4-0.

Hope to see you all next Saturday for our last game before Christmas. Please bring your Christmas spirit and goodwill to all men and women.

Your MMQ – Martin French