Basingstoke Host Yellows for Final Away Trip This Season.

Match Preview

Basingstoke Town v Tiverton Town

Saturday April 18th

3pm Kick Off

At The Winklebury Football Complex.

The final away day for the Yellows’ this season, sees them visit Basingstoke. Whilst Asa Hall's side know their destiny, Dan Brownlie's team you would feel still need something here to ease all relegation fears. At the weekend our hosts sealed Hungerford's fate with a 3-1 win on the road. However their 48 points is at this moment not a safe total.

Expectations are somewhat low at the moment for Tivvy. Although, hopefully a few of the absentees from Tuesday night's heavy home loss to Wimborne will be available, to give us more of a spark and make us more competitive. Tiverton's depleted squad will need virtually all of their main players on the pitch to do this.

It will be just over a month since the two sides met under the lights at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium. Stoke ran out comfortable 4-0 winners that evening and visiting the Winklebury Football Complex will be as much of a psychological test as it is a football one.

The Hampshire side have found form at the right time, as a long run of poor results had seen them slide dramatically down the the table. Winning three, drawing two and losing once at Plymouth Parkway in their last Six matches.

Joining Basingstoke In September 2019, manager Dan Brownlie is almost seven years into the job and in the modern game, definitely long serving. He has seen his side relegated, but he has also brought them back up to this level too and is a widely respected boss.

On the playing front; Ore Bello is a forward in red hot form. The former Dover Athletic player has three goals from Stokes’ last two games, a brace against Hungerford and a crucial penalty to beat Sholing. Injury has affected a lot of his season, but the skilful 22 yr old is making up for lost time.

No Basingstoke player has hit double figures this term, but 28 yr old striker George Reid is a good focal point and has strong all round qualities to his forward play. He has spent four seasons at the Winklebury Football Complex. Prior to that he was with Didcot Town and had a short stay with Swindon Supemarine. 

Robbie Gallagher is an energetic forward, whose displays have made him popular with the home support. Another ex Didcot man, he is often creative for others and Is in his second season with Basingstoke.

Midfielder Joe Grant was recruited halfway through the season from league rivals Bracknell. An experienced player with strong footballing abilities, Grant had three spells with his former club, amassing around 200 appearances for the Robins’. He was a constant for National South, Chesham, in the last campaign and he has represented; Slough and Hayes & Yeading. 

Talented ex Bristol Manor Farm attacking midfielder Tom Blake who was originally with Gloucester, suffered injury a few games back and not knowing the severity of it, could mean that the player who has chipped in with five goals since his arrival from the Bristol side earlier in the season, may be unavailable.

Influential midfield player Ben Cook, though, did make a playing return from injury from the bench on Saturday at Hungerford. He had two stints with Stoke, interrupted by a short stay at Bracknell in the 2022/23 season and has made in excess of 100 Southern League appearances in total.

Bright and highly rated youngster Josh Green has been heavily involved for our hosts this season, after playing for Rayners Lane in the previous campaign. He came through EFL side Reading's academy.

A vital component of this Basingstoke team is James Clarke. The midfielder was a big player for Hungerford when they were playing a step higher and the midfield schemer who arrived at the Winklebury Sports Complex in the 2022/23 season has played over 100 games for our hosts. Maidenhead, Wealdstone and Hayes & Yeading have all sought his services.

Another driving force in midfield is the homegrown D'Andre Brown. A very good technical player, the Basingstoke youth product is into his fifth season at senior level. Box to Box midfielder Zach Ionnides has impressed after arriving on loan from Luton Town and is a second year scholar with the EFL club.

Captain and central defender Billy Upton is an inspirational figure and a mainstay in the Stoke line up. Signed from Badshot Lea in the 2022/23 season, the commanding Upton is noted for his aerial abilities and strong leadership and organisation skills. He has a great relationship with the supporters.

Fellow defender Scott Armsworth has been an integral part of the Hampshire side's backline for a number of campaigns and is a regular in the side. Comfortable in possession and  combative, he was part of Fulham's youth system in his formative years. Briefly with Slough on his release from the West London club, he has become a key player.

Full back Joe O’Loughlin was with us for part of the 2022/23 season. The cultured defender is pretty much an ever present for his new club, after relocating from his West Country base. The former Bath University captain is now 26 and the ex Frome favourite, also had spells with Yate and Tavistock.

Centre back Jack Ball is 34 and his knowhow and pedigree are priceless for our hosts. Three campaigns with Farnborough highlight his defensive attributes. The dependable chief organiser for Basingstoke is a good manipulator of play also. His football journey has also taken in Salisbury and Hartley Wintney.

Goalkeeper Simon Grant brings his vast experience too, to this Stoke side. In 2010/11 he began his Senior career with AFC Hayes, moving onto Slough before enjoying Nine seasons with Marlow. 

The gifted keeper’s displays  attracted plenty of interest, whilst there and his services were acquired by Bracknell, Hungerford and Hayes & Yeading. 

After a brief return to Bracknell in the 2023/24 season, he signed for his current club and has established himself as a permanent fixture in Dan Brownlie's side.

Asa Hall's men will definitely be hoping to make this final Journey of the season a better one than last weekend. The management team of Hall, Steve Orchard and David Steele will be looking to restore a bit of belief in the dressing room and the players will be determined to give a good account of themselves, when they take to the field on Saturday afternoon.