Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Salisbury vs Basingstoke Town
When: Easter Monday 1st April 2024 Kick-off 3pm
Where: Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 6PU
Salisbury (The Whites) Avg 2023-24 Home Att 682
So the top two teams in the league have visited Winklebury in the past seven days, and both clubs have left with little but their kitbags with them, as Basingstoke deservedly took four points out of six. Good Friday’s second-half demolition of Gosport Borough, just proved how far this club has turned its fortunes around since the start of the February, and we head the current form guide in our league as proof.
Tomorrow we take the trip down the A303 to take on Salisbury, who we played back at the end of December and in front of our largest crowd of the season, we held The Whites to a deserved goal-less draw.
Our Opponents
The Whites are managed by Brian Dutton, who took over in October 2022, after being in charge at Walsall. Dutton’s playing career was as a versatile, player who could play in defence, midfield or attack, and played for numerous non-league clubs in his career, such as Eastleigh, Weymouth, Havant & Salisbury.
Salisbury after their three-three draw at Swindon Supermarine yesterday, now sit level on points with second-placed Gosport Borough. The Whites record now stands at Pld 36, Won 19 Drawn 10 & Lost 7 with 67 pts. Their home record is a very impressive 13 wins, 4 draws and just 1 loss.
Their leading goalscorer is forward Noah Coppin who joined in July from Chippenham Town, who has fourteen goals. Coppin, has spent most of his career playing for Western-based teams, such as Weston-Super-Mare, Melksham and Taunton Town. Experienced striker Daniel Fitchett, has four league goals, and has been at Salisbury since joining the club from Wealdstone Town in 2018. An Aldershot Academy player he has played for Salisbury before as well as Wycombe, & Sutton Utd. Harry Williams (27), joined the Whites in November from Gloucester City and has now added three goals. Having scored for Sholing against the Whites, Salisbury signed forward Wayne Robinson, who has added four goals since joining.
In midfield they signed 19 year-old winger, Joshua Hedges from Didcot Town, who has reached double figures with ten goals this season. Another midfielder Charlie Gunson, has added seven goals, after joining from Dorchester Town at the end of last season. He has also played for clubs such AFC Totton and Wimborne Town. Ryan Penny, by day a school-teacher joined after impressing in pre-season games, and joins having played for Chichester City & AFC Stoneham, and has added two goal since arriving.
In defence, 36 year-old Portuguese defender Sido Jombati, has nine goals, five of them from the penalty spot. Jombati, previously played for Basingstoke back in 2008 & 2009, before moving to Bath City. He has also played for other club such as Weymouth, Wycombe Wanderers and Ebbsfleet, before joining the Whites in July this year. They also have Tom Leggett, who spent a short period of time at Basingstoke back in 2018, before joining Gosport Borough, then Farnborough, before coming to the Whites via Hartley Wintney. Another player who joined via Chippenham is fullback Aaron Simpson, who has played for a number of clubs including Kilmarnock, Dover Athletic and Sutton Utd. Jamar Smith another signing from Didcot Town can play on either side of the defence and has become a fan favourite since joining. In an effort to push for the playoffs, last week they signed Sholing’s long-term keeper Ryan Gosling and he is likely to wear the keeper’s gloves tomorrow afternoon.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
Another top-notch performance against so-called playoff hopefuls Gosport Borough, saw us dominate for a large part of the second-half, and after Bradley Wilson’s finish, put us ahead, it was the returning Dan Rowe who doubled our lead, then his second put the game to bed with fifteen minutes to go. This win although keeping us in tenth place, now confirm that we are looking more towards a top seven finish, if we continue on our present form, with our record at Pld 36 Won 14 Drawn 8 Lost 14 GF 64 GA 72 with 50pts.
Bradley Wilson’s goal on Good Friday now gives him twenty goals in the league & cup now, and is the likely winner of the ‘Golden Boot’ competition for the second year in a row. Dan Rowe’s first start, since coming back from injury, saw him link up with Liam Ferdinand & Wilson, throughout the game and yet another neat header followed by a close range volley, not only killed any hopes Gosport had, but also gives him fifteen for the season. Liam Ferdinand who does the dirty work against the opponents centre-backs, came close on a couple of occasions to find the net. I assume these three will start the game tomorrow, with Stefan Brown and Shamar Moore options off the bench once again.
The midfield once again started to take control of the game as we moved towards the halftime break against Gosport, and the signing of Elliott Bolton looks better with every game, as he plays alongside Luis Le Paih & Paul Hodges. It is believed Simon Dunn will be part of the match-day squad tomorrow.
The defence which again took some early pressure from the visitors, was not breached, and should therefore remain the same tomorrow, unless Manager Dan Brownlie, wishes to give others some gametime. If not it will look like from left to right Massimo Giamattei, Billy Upton (Captain), James Clark, and Curtis Angell on the right. Both centre-backs Shane Hollamby & Scott Armsworth are pushing for a start, and will be ready on the bench if needed. I’m unaware of the injury situation of Markus Johnson-Schuster at this time.
In goal will be Simon Grant, who made two huge saves, one early on that kept the game level, as he added another clean sheet to his list since arriving in another scoop for the club.
The playoff places are now close to being out of reach, but with our current form and a good result tomorrow against a strong Salisbury side, we will continue to fight for a top seven finish.
It is expected to be a bumper Easter Monday crowd tomorrow, so get your hat & coat on, and make the trip down to Salisbury to give the players the support they deserve, as we move into last the month of the league season.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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