Wiltshire Senior League

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Wiltshire Senior League

Devizes Close In,

Big Win for Larkhall Over

Premier Division Opponents in Cup

Action from Wroughton's 5-1 win over Marlborough Town at the Weir Field

With Premier Division leaders Trowbridge Town without a game second placed Devizes Town had the chance to close the gap to the leaders as well as extending their own unbeaten start to the season. On a mild-November afternoon Devizes were able to do both after a hard fought 2-0 away win at Malmesbury Victoria Development. It was a tight affair throughout with both goals coming in the dying moments of each half. The opener came in injury time at the end of the first half, Jamie Walters scoring with an overhead kick to make it 1-0 to Devizes at half time. Malmesbury came out for the second half seeking an equaliser and, whilst they had the better of possession in the second half, they could not break down a well organised and resolute Devizes defence, Malmsbury lacking that clinical edge in front of goal. At the other end Devizes also went close to extending their lead when they hit the bar and the game was ultimately put beyond Malmesbury two minutes from time, Gabe Costello getting his sixth goal of the season to make sure of the three points for George Bettles side. The win saw Devizes move to within two points of Trowbridge with the first big game between the top two sides scheduled for three weeks’ time.

Jamie Walters & Gabe Costello who scored the two goals fro Devizes in their 2-0 win at Malmesbury

With the two sides above them in the table playing in the Fountain Trophies Cup, Wroughton had the opportunity to overtake Pewsey and move to within a point of third placed Kintbury Rangers. Their opponents this afternoon were Marlborough Town who have shown much improvement under caretaker manager Malcolm Ford. There was certainly very little between the two sides in the opening 25 minutes, but the home side finally broke the deadlock on 26 minutes, Jonathan Peachey-Score opening up the Marlborough defence with a pass that sent Ollie While clear of the Marlborough back-line and While made no mistake firing into the bottom corner of the net for 1-0. A well taken goal but if that was a good goal, the one that followed two minutes later was very special. Peachey-Score picking up the ball outside the 18-yard box and firing an unstoppable powerful shot into the top left-hand corner of the net for 2-0.

Marlborough Town pictured today before their game against Wroughton

Having conceded two in such a short space of time Marlborough regrouped and sought to get a foothold back in the game. They did just that within the first five minutes of the second half and it was another good goal, Dan Burke hitting yet another shot from outside the box that was inch perfect, going into the net off the Wroughton crossbar, slightly lower and keeper Eddie Salsbury would probably have been able to prevent the goal. The goal gave Marlborough extra impetus, and they really took the game to Wroughton for a ten-minute spell. However, they were unable to find that second goal. At the other end, Peachey-Score thought he had restored Wroughton’s two goal advantage on 56 minutes when he again had the ball in the net, but the flag had gone up for offside and the goal was disallowed. He did not have to wait long for that second though as two minutes later a ball over the top from captain Chris Flanagan saw Peachey-Score clear of the defence and he coolly slotted home for 3-1. This seemed to deflate Marlborough and the game was over as a contest when Peachey-Score got another to complete his hat-trick on the hour mark, Ollie While dispossessing a Marlborough defender and sliding in Peachey-Score whose shot into the far corner gave the keeper no chance. Twenty minutes from time Wroughton added a fifth and once again the goal involved Peachey-Score and While, While’s low shot across the six-yard box being saved by the Marlborough keeper with his feet but unfortunately for him the ball fell to Peachey-Score who smashed it into the net for his fourth of the game and his 26th goal of the season. Based on possession the final score probably flattered Wroughton, but they certainly had the cutting edge when it came to creating and taking chances and they may yet still have a big say in the title race with two games in hand over both Trowbridge and Devizes, with the top two still to play at the Weir Field.

Jonathan Peachey-Score who put the ball in the net 4 times in Wroughton's 5-1 win

Daniel Burke who scored for Marlborough Town in their 5-1 defeat to Wroughton

See bottom of page for more photos from the Wroughton v Marlborough Town game

Frome Collegians had opened the season with an impressive 4-1 away win over last season’s champions Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development, the first of five straight games lost by last season’s champions. Since then, they had come under new management and turned things around going into the return game at Frome on the back of a ten-game unbeaten record that had included seven clean sheets. There was to be no clean sheet today though as they went behind to an early own goal but an own goal at the other end plus a strike from Finley Smith saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town lead 2-1. However, Frome ensured the sides went into the break all square when Jack Newman equalised two minutes from half time. Whatever Frome manager Karl Freeman said to his side at half-time it certainly did the trick as they came out and totally dominated the second half. A second goal for Newman on the hour mark, his fourth in two games against today’s opponents, and a second own goal on 65 minutes put them 4-2 up. Two minutes later they were given the chance to extend the lead further from the penalty spot. With Newman on a hat-trick there was only ever going to be one person taking the spot kick, but Newman saw his spot kick saved. Frome continued to dominate the half and further goals from Morgan Marsh and a sixth of the season from Max Biddiscombe completed an impressive 6-2 win and meant Frome had hit double figures against last season’s champions in the two fixtures this season. The win saw Frome climb two places in the table, passing today’s opponents in the process, as they went into seventh spot.

Jack Newman (2) & Morgan Marsh were both on target in Frome Collegians' 6-2 win over RWBT Dev

Odd Down Development had been on a tough run that had seen them win just one of their eight games ahead of today’s visit from Shrewton United, conceding 27 goals in those eight matches. Shrewton United have also been having similar problems, whilst they had won three of their last eight games, their defensive record was even worse than Odd Down’s, conceding 38 goals in those eight games. Shrewton’s defensive woes continued as they conceded another four whilst for Odd Down it was a only their second clean sheet of the season as they ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Aidan Maslen, Jack O’Brien, Charlie Myrie and Dominic Walter. The win for Odd Down saw them climb out of the bottom three with Marlborough Town slipping into that bottom three following that defeat at Wroughton.

The final league game of the weekend in the Premier Division saw the bottom two, Melksham Town Reserves and Salisbury FC Development, up against each other at the Oakfield Stadium. In a tight contest between two teams who played a lot better than their league position would suggest, goals from Lewis Cross and Gary Hind made sure it was Salisbury who returned home with the three points following a 2-1 win, Owen Allison with the Melksham goal. Whilst Cross and Hind got the Salisbury goals, their man of the match was goalkeeper Dan McCarthy who denied Melksham on numerous occasions to ensure his side took all three points. The defeat left Melksham four points adrift at the bottom of the table having played four games more than Salisbury who are the side immediately above them in the table.

Salisbury's man of the match, keeper Dan McCarthy

There were three games played in the First Round of the Fountain Trophies Cup and the draw had thrown up a tie which saw the last two winners of the cup meet each other. Kintbury Rangers, winners in Season 2018-19, were up against the cup holders Pewsey Vale who had won the cup in Season 2020-21, the last season that the cup was competed for. It was a tight game throughout with the only goal of the game coming in the second half, Kintbury Ranger’s Owain Wheeler scoring his fifth of the season to see Kintbury through to the last 16 where they will meet the winner of next week’s tie between Devizes Town and Purton in the Second Round.

When Calne Town Reserves and Blunsdon had met in the league at Bremhill View back at the beginning of September neither side had been able to find the net and another close game was anticipated in their Fountain Trophies First Round tie. On this occasion there were to be two goals, and both went the way of visitors Blunsdon, Nick Craft and Harry Kearns getting the goals that saw Blunsdon through to the Second Round where they will be away to Malmesbury Victoria Development.

The final cup game this weekend was at Larkhall Athletic Development were looking to knock out Premier Division opponents Stratton Juniors. Larkhall started the day top of Division 1, unbeaten in the league, their only defeat all season coming in the Somerset Senior Cup. Having put 12 past Purton last week, they once again found their scoring boots smashing eight unanswered goals against an out-of-sorts Stratton side that only a week ago had given Premier Division leaders Trowbridge a tough game. Today’s cup encounter was a one-sided affair, both Marley Carpenter and Finn Norris bagged a brace, with further goals coming from Angus Williamson, James Book, Kyle Norris and a diving header from Ben Riccio. After knocking out Premier Division opposition, Larkhall will have a fellow Division 1 side as their opponents in the Second Round, with Larkhall having been drawn away to Devizes Town Reserves. For Stratton that his now five straight defeats ahead of another tough looking fixture next week, away to Wroughton.

Larkhall Athletic Development who were 8-0 winners over Premier Division opponents in the Fountain Trophies Cup

There were also three league games in Division 1 with all the Division 1 sides in either league or cup action this weekend. It was second versus third at Devizes where both Devizes Town Reserves and Ludgershall Sports had the chance to go top of the table with a win. In the end that honour fell to Ludgershall as goals from Ben Wyatt and George Donohue secured a 2-0 win to send Ludgershall back top of the table.

Not only did Devizes miss out on taking over at the top they were also dislodged from the top three as a result of Kingsdown Lions 3-0 away win at Pewsey Vale Development. An impressive performance from the Lions saw Josh Barnfield, Aiden Miller and Harrison Jordan all on target and the win saw Kingsdown go third in the table, two points behind the new leaders but with two games in hand.

Purton have been having another tough season but went close to securing their first point of the season this afternoon, eventually going down by the odd goal in three against Kintbury Rangers Development. The game could have gone either way but in the end goals from Craig Bruce and Conner Markou secured the points for Kintbury, Tom Swindall with the Purton goal. Purton take a break from league action next week with a trip to Devizes Town in the League Cup before meeting Kintbury again in another league encounter in a fortnight’s time

Watch out for more insights regarding this weekend’s games, including interviews with some of the managers, on the Your Sport Swindon website later in the week.

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