Match Preview: Weymouth vs Basingstoke Town – Saturday 15th November 2025

Match Preview: Southern League Premier Division South
Weymouth vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 15th November 2025 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Bob Lucas Stadium, Radpole Lane, Weymouth, DT4 9XJ
Weymouth (The Terras ), 2025-26 League Position 19th

Aside from our Hampshire Snr Cup win against Aldershot Town on Tuesday evening, Stoke’s deserved win in the league last Saturday at home to Berkhamsted, pushed two us steps up away from the relegation pack, as we head to a team in the relegation places, and a team (Weymouth), we haven’t played for a few years, and a club that’s going through a number of changes, since it’s relegation from the National League South division last season.
The last time we played Weymouth was back in the fateful relegation 2018/19 season, when against all odds (snow and travel issues), we put in our best performance of the season with a 2-1 February win in Dorset. Goalscorers on the day were the now departed Harry Pearce & Sam Smart.

Our Opponents
Weymouth are now managed by the well-known ex-footballer Steve Claridge, who apart from his too numerous clubs to mention in his playing career, he is now starting to rack-up clubs as a Manager, with Weymouth being his fifth he taken the reins. He spent seven years at Salisbury and then two seasons at lowly Fleetlands before taking on the role this season with the Terras.

Weymouth sit in nineteenth place, having suffered a 4-0 defeat at league leaders Walton & Hersham last Saturday. With an overall record of Pld 15 Won 3 Drawn 5 Lost 7 and 14pts. Their goal difference is a poor -15, and their home record sits as 1 Win, 3 Draws & 3 losses, with the single win recently against Yate Town. With just sixteen goals in the league, their leading striker is well-known Brandon Goodship, who has three goals to-date, and is closing in on 100 goals for the club, in his three spells with the club. Striker Reuben Reid (37), has two goals this season, having joined from Weston-Super-Mare, where he spent the last three seasons. Prior to that he played for Football League clubs such as Rotherham, Oldham and spells at Plymouth Argyle, as well as many others. Euan Pollock, is another striker who came through Bournemouth’s academy sides, before spending short periods at Truro City & Hungerford, joining the Terras in September 2024.

Tom Bearwish, wears the captains armband, and is in his fifth season with the club. He has four goals from his attacking midfield role. Born in London, he played football for Portland University, before joining Eastleigh academy before joining their first team. Callum Watts, having signed for an undisclosed fee from Salisbury. Has a wealth of experience at other clubs such as Taunton, Bath & Chelmsford City. Andreas Robinson, is in his second spell at the club having spent a season at Gosport in between, He started at Southampton academy and has also played at Dorchester and Havant.

Keiron Douglas is a commanding centre-half in his first season with the club, having previously spent time at Winchester City, Dorchester Town & Bognor Regis, he joined from Bemerton Heath at the start of the season. Another centre-back is David Mantle who is on loan from Coventry City. Mantle has come through both the U18 & U21 with City. At right-back it is likely to be Brooklyn Genesini, who is in his second spell at Weymouth, having also spent time at Poole Town, Swindon & Dorchester Town. Another defender is Max Davies, who joined after coming through Bristol City’s U21 side. Another long-term defender is German born, Calvin Brooks, who has notched up close to 400 appearances for the club in his eleven seasons with the Terras. Their current keeper is Ben Clark, who was part of the Bristol City academy and is on a season-long loan at the club, after a season at Bemerton Heath.

Our Basingstoke Town Side
Following the two new signings, and a more attacking mindset, we got back to winning ways in the league with a win last Saturday against Berkhamsted with goals by Cheick Sylla & George Reid. The win then on Tuesday against Aldershot, saw Sylla had a further goal to his tally since arriving at the club, and now has four goals from his six appearances. Our leading goalscorer is George Reid with five goals, whilst the departed Bradley Wilson had four goals. Liam Ferdinand currently sidelined through injury has three goals, the same as James Clark.

The win against Berkhamsted leaves us still in the bottom half (13th), but hopefully on the upwards move. Our record now at Pld 15 Won 5 Drawn 3 Lost 7 and 18pts. Our away record is a poor 1 Win, 2 draws & 4 losses. I will assume that forward line, is likely to be Cheick, who now has his own song, our other forward signing Josh Dolling and George Reid, with Ore Bello waiting in the wings.

The midfield over the past two games, proved on their day, that they can match the likes of National League South side Aldershot, and was superbly led by Josh Green. Add James Dickson, D’Andre Brown and Ben Cook, as well as Dara Dada, then each player is having to show their value to earn in a spot as a starting midfielders, whilst also the options for Connor Barratt to get any real gametime.

The defence has suffered a few hit with injuries recently, with Jack Ball likely to be missing once again, and hopefully Billy Upton going off for precautionary reasons only on Tuesday, I assume he will captain the side alongside Scott Armsworth, who should be back from his suspension. There is also more competition in the defensive back roles, with Elliott Legg finally back from injury, and putting in a stunning performance against a Aldershot with two amazing off the line clearances. Both Joe O’Loughlin & Markus Johnson-Schuster, have been good in recent weeks, so unless we set-up in a different formation, then it leaves Manager Dan Brownlie a number of tricky decisions. Simon Grant again confirmed why he is our No,1 starter with another strong performance in each of the last two games.

Tomorrow afternoon will be a tough battle against a Weymouth team who will seek to get back to winning ways, and despite their hammering at Walton & Hersham, last week they did go on the road at win at Farnham, less than a month ago. With neither their home record and our away record anything special to look at, I would suggest that this will be a closely fought game, and we will need to be at our best and with three of our next four games after Weymouth, against teams looking to win the league, we need to return to Hampshire with points to show for it.

Let’s Go Stoke !

Match Preview by Martin French..