Bank Holiday Monday saw the big game at the top of the Premier Division between Devizes Town and Trowbridge Town. Having lost on the Saturday against Melksham Town Reserves Devizes knew that anything less than a win would make it very difficult for them to bridge the four-point gap to Trowbridge at the start of the day. The game was played in difficult windy conditions in front of a bumper crowd at Nursteed Road with Devizes recording the attendance as 350, a massive figure for a game at our level. Trowbridge had the wind behind them in the first half, but they failed to take advantage and, despite the elements being against them, it was Devizes who created the better chances. James Walters went close early on just failing to connect with a dangerous ball into the six-yard box from Rhys Talmash. Jamal Chevolleau then went close, firing just wide with a low shot across goal. The same player then got clear of the Trowbridge back line but then shot tamely at Callum Hotine in the Trowbridge goal. Whilst Devizes dominated Trowbridge best chance of the half fell to captain Martin Johnson, but he fired just over from the edge of the box. Devizes continued to create the better chances and Jamie Walters perhaps should have done better with a cross from the right from Rhys Talmash two minutes before the break, his header going just over the bar. Talmash then saw a powerful shot from the edge of the box turned away by Hotine and it remained goalless at the break.

With the wind now behind them in the second half Devizes continued to dominate and Walters went close, just failing to get a decent connection on a ball in from the left from Talmash. The attacking front two of Talmash and Chevolleau continued to cause the Trowbridge defence all kinds of problems and it looked only a matter of time before Devizes got their noses in front. Keiron Gleed went close, cutting in from the right he fired just over the bar. The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour mark and it was no surprise it went the way of Devizes given their domination of proceedings but it took a set piece for them to make the breakthrough. An in-swinging corner from the left from Talmash was met at the near post by Jack Coward who headed the ball into the far corner of the net for 1-0 to Devizes. Gleed then went close for a second with a shot which clipped the top of the crossbar. The game was finally put beyond Trowbridge three minutes from time when Gleed utilised the wind to curl a freekick from the right into the top corner of the net past Hotine to make it 2-0. For Devizes a thoroughly deserved win which closed the gap to just one point with both sides having some potentially tricky looking in games in their final four fixtures as the title race looks like it could well go down to the final game of the season. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below or using the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the website.

Action from Devizes Town's 2-0 win over Trowbridge Town

(pictures courtesy of David Giles)

There were scheduled to be five further games the following night but, in the end, just two of those games went ahead due to the incessant rain that fell all day on Tuesday. Even one of the two that did get played had to be switched to the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground to enable the game between Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and Blunsdon to go ahead. The rain came down heavy during the game, but the two sides served up an entertaining match that was settled by a solitary goal scored by Blunsdon’s Robert Curtis. It was a close contest throughout and Blunsdon had keeper Harrison Ellis to thank for leaving the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground with a clean sheet and the three points. That is now five straight defeats and four games without a goal for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development who, despite sitting ninth, could end up in the relegation positions if their run of defeats continues. Blunsdon climbed a place to fifth spot as a result of the win.

Action from Blunsdon's 1-0 win over Royal W. Bassett Town Dev

(pictures courtesy of Alex White Sports Photos)

The only game on grass to go ahead on Tuesday was at Elcot Lane where Marlborough Town entertained near neighbours Pewsey Vale. Marlborough are in desperate need of points given they have played more games than all their relegation fighting rivals, but Pewsey made the short journey as the form side in the division having won six in a row. That winning run now extends to seven games, two more goals for James Guthrie plus one apiece for leading scorer Andy Rossiter and Stanley Pagett. The win for Pewsey consolidated their third-place position, establishing seven-point gap over Wroughton although Wroughton have two games in hand. Marlborough slipped into the bottom three on goal difference as a result of their defeat and with just one game to go they must make sure they win it and hope the other sides to not accumulate too many more points.

Division One

There was one game in Division One on Bank Holiday Monday, and it saw Purton and Larkhall Athletic Development play each other for the second time over the weekend. With Larkhall having hit 16 unanswered goals past Purton on Good Friday they were fully expected to secure another win that would send them top of the table and they did not disappoint their travelling support as they hit another 11 goals. Captain and leading scorer Charlie Saunders helped himself to another four goals, Thierry Swaby and Lewis Dixon both bagged a brace and there were further goals from James Payton, Angus Williamson and Brad Evans. The big win duly saw them move above Kingsdown Lions on goal difference with the two sides set to meet this Saturday. Kingsdown know they have to win to have any chance of denying Larkhall Athletic the title but with Larkhall having three further games to play even a win is unlikely to be good enough with Larkhall now firm favourites to take the Division 1 title.

Larkhall Athletic Development who went top of the table with another big win over Purton

13 April 2023