There was a break from league action this week in the Under 18 Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League as focus turned to the League Cup with two quarter final ties and the one outstanding First Round game which was finally played at the fourth attempt. On Monday night the two quarter final ties took place and both games went to form. In the first game at AFC Aldermaston visitors Radstock Town won for the second time this season at the AWE Recreational Society Ground. Two goals from Lewis Wheeler plus further strikes from Ollie Hulbert and Jayden Purnell did the damage for Radstock as they ran out comfortable 4-0 winners on the night to secure a place in the semi-final.

Their opponents in the semi-final will be Kintbury Rangers who progressed to the last four thanks to a 3-0 win over Bradford Town who were forced into playing a stand-in goalkeeper after a late withdrawal. It was Joe Davies who took over between the posts and it was mainly due to his efforts, including a couple of fine saves in one-on-one situations, that the two teams turned round at half time with the game still looking for its first goal. At the other end Bradford Town, who were without their pacey strikers, were unable to put a strong Kintbury defence under any real pressure. They did finally create an opening early in the second half and went close to taking the lead when Matt Lindsay rounded the Kintbury keeper but unfortunately his shot hit the side netting and it remained 0-0. A break in the deadlock finally did come and it went Kintbury’s way, a Bradford Town defender deflecting the ball into his own net from a Cameron Squires free kick to make it 1-0 to Kintbury. Kintbury then extended their lead with an excellent second goal through Brad Passey before a late penalty put away by James Tomlinson made sure that it was Kintbury who progress to the next round and that date with Radstock Town.

The final game of the week was on Thursday night when Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Warminster Town finally got to play their First Round game at the fourth attempt. Two postponements due to pitch conditions, with fog having also caused another postponement, meant under the cup rules the venue was switched from Warminster to the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. It was to prove a tight affair all evening with both teams playing a passing game building up from the back.  Whilst Royal Wootton Bassett Town had more of the possession they rarely opened up an organised Warminster back line and the first real chance of the night fell the way of the visitors on 22 minutes when a ball played into the edge of the Royal Wootton Bassett Town box was headed by defender Sonny James in the wrong direction and over the head of his goalkeeper Finlay Cranswick-Coates. Luckily for the home keeper the ball hit his post and then rebounded back across his goal line and was cleared. Ten minutes later the home side had their best chance of the half up to that point when they finally opened up the Warminster defence but Spencer Bowen saw his shot tipped over the bar by Warminster keeper Thomas Jones. The deadlock was finally broken two minutes before half time and, given the lack of clear cut chances in the game, it was no surprise that it came from a dead-ball situation. Warminster were awarded a free kick for a foul right on the edge of the 18-yard box with the attacking player ending up in the box, on another night, it could have seen a penalty awarded. The free kick was in a very central position but Warminster’s Lennon Burden fired a powerful well placed shot around the wall and into the net past Cranwick-Coates to make it 1-0 to the visitors. The lead did not last long though as straight from the kick-off Royal Wootton Bassett went down the other end and a ball into the box saw Flynn Walters clear of the Warminster defence and when he was brought down the referee pointed to the spot giving the home side an immediate chance to bounce back. Leading scorer Jacob Rendell-Haines made no mistake from the penalty spot as the two sides went into the half-time break all square.

The second half continued in a similar fashion to the first with lots of possession football but limited chances being created. With the possibility of extra time looming the final 15 minutes finally saw things opening up as both teams tried to find a winner. Cooper Brooks went close to finding the net for Warminster before Royal Wootton Bassett Town created their best chance of the night in open play, Euan Spackman getting to a ball into the box before visiting keeper Jones and set up Flynn Walters on the edge of the box with the keeper stranded. However, Walters powerful shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by Cole Parmley and cleared to safety. Walters then went close three minutes later but saw his shot turned away by keeper Jones for a corner. There was to be a late winner though when, following another attack from the home side, the ball fell to substitute Joseph Beavis on the edge of the box and his powerful shot gave keeper Jones no chance to make it 2-1 to the home side. Royal Wootton Bassett Town had the ball in the net again moments later and again it was Beavis who fired home after a free kick from Spencer Bowen came back off the bar, but the goal was ruled out by an assistant’s flag for offside. The final whistle went shortly after and it is the home side and league leaders who progress to the next round but, as has been the case in recent league games, they had left it late to get the better of a determined and well organised opponent showing there is very little between all the sides in this Under 18 Division this season. Royal Wootton Bassett Town will now meet Bishops Cannings in the quarter final with the winner of that tie then away to Calne Town in the semi-final.

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17 February 2023