Action from Melksham Town Res 3-1 win over Devizes Town Res (picture courtesy of David Giles)

Premier Division

There was almost a full round of games in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League in midweek with 16 teams in action, with only the game between Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves and Shrewton United having to be pushed back to midweek in early September with both clubs currently undertaking scheduled pitch maintenance.  

There were five games played on Tuesday night and another three on Wednesday and come ten o’clock Wednesday evening there were five teams sat at the top of the table with six points from their opening two games.

The early leaders are Larkhall Athletic Development who followed up their 3-1 win over Wroughton on Saturday with an impressive 5-1 away win over Calne Town Reserves. On target for Larkhall were James Okell with two, Ben Wickens, Angus Williamson and James Horrocks with his second of the season, former Pewsey Vale Development player-manager Kierron Kiff with the Calne Town Reserves goal.

Melksham Town Reserves sit second in the table after a 3-1 win over near neighbours Devizes Town Reserves. As had been the case on Saturday against Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development Melksham had to come from behind after Eoin O’Grady fired Devizes ahead with just four minutes on the clock. Oliver Farrell, who had bagged a brace in that opening day win over Royal Wootton Bassett, brought Melksham back on level terms six minutes before the break. Second half goals from Kegan Smart and substitute Nick Taylor, with his second of the season, then ensured the second straight win for Justin Flowers young side.

Last season’s runners up Letcombe are another side who sit on maximum points from their opening two fixtures, and they have yet to concede a goal. A solitary strike from Jordan Davies, with his second of the campaign, was enough to secure all three points against Shrivenham as the Letcombe defence once again kept the opposition out to give their side the win. That is now two defeats in a row for Shrivenham who will look to get their first points of the season on Saturday when they play another side who have lost both their opening games, Calne Town Reserves.

Purton Kingsdown sit fourth in the table, also on six points, after a hard-fought local derby win over Cricklade Town. Both teams had won on Saturday, but it would be Purton Kingsdown who maintained their winning record with a 4-3 victory in a game that saw six of the goals scored in an entertaining first half. Last season’s top scorer Antonio Gerrish bagged two of the Purton Kingsdown goals with Tyler Wilkinson and Tom Stockwell, with his second of the season, getting the other two. In reply for Cricklade there were two goals for new signing Lewis Bexon-Shaw and one for Nick Craft. Subscribers to Your Sport Swindon can get exclusive insights on the start to the season from Purton Kingsdown manager Adrian Wilkinson on the Your Sport Swindon website by clicking on the Your Sport Swindon logo below.

The other side to sit at the top of the table on six points are newly promoted Swindon Supermarine Development who were playing their first home game in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League which saw them attract a record crowd, with an official crowd of 104 recorded for their home debut. They were up against another of the promoted sides, Down Ampney, who had also got off to a winning start on Saturday with an impressive 3-1 win over much fancied Park United. The first half on Wednesday night saw the young Swindon Supermarine side dominate proceedings. There were chances at both ends in the opening 15 minutes, but the deadlock was broken on 17 minutes when Tom Phillips got on the end of a ball in from the left to put Swindon Supermarine ahead. They doubled their lead on 25 minutes with a fine individual goal from Rowan Doyle, curling a powerful shot into the net from the left-hand side of the box for 2-0. It was almost three shortly after, a free kick into the area was headed goalwards but was cleared off the line by a Down Ampney defender. Swindon Supermarine would not be denied a third for long though, Sam Sanger beat the Down Ampney offside trap to round the keeper and fire home for 3-0. Early in the second half Down Ampney went close to getting one back when a back pass was over hit and the Supermarine keeper Matty Goldfinch just managed to prevent the ball going over the line. At the other end Swindon Supermarine continued to create chances but were unable to extend their lead. Just when it looked like Supermarine would be heading for a comfortable win the visitors got themselves a lifeline, Charlie McCuish getting on the end of low cross at the far post to make it 3-1 with 12 minutes to go. Five minutes from time Connor Hibbs reduced the deficit further with a well taken shot from just inside the 18-yard box to cause a few nervous moments for Supermarine at the end. However, the home side held out without conceding again to record their second straight win since joining the league. Highlights from the game can be watched on the Swindon Supermarine website which can be accessed by clicking on the link in the post on our League Facebook Group Page.

After last season’s reprieve from relegation Faringdon Town have made a good start to the season under new manger Josh Forth. After breaking their away duck on Saturday, they remain unbeaten after their opening two games. They started well at home against Pewsey Vale on Tuesday night, Daniel Loyden firing home just after the half hour mark. It remained that way until midway through the second half when Rory Sellick grabbed an equaliser for the visitors. That was to be the end of the night’s scoring as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece.

Two sides who recorded their first wins of the season after opening day defeats are Park United and Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. Park United were playing their first game at their new home, Corsham Town’s Southbank Ground and it was to be a winning start at their new ground as goals from Lewis McCarronn, Rhys Lock and Corey Harbour-Burgess secured a comfortable win over Trowbridge Town. That is now two straight defeats for Trowbridge to open the season and not the start they would have wanted after all their efforts off the pitch during the summer.

After throwing away a two-goal lead on Saturday against Melksham Town Reserves, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development bounced back in style on Tuesday night, recording a 3-1 away win at Wroughton thanks to goals from George Cook, Sam Case and Prince Nyongolo, Josh Hockin with the Wroughton goal.

Division One

There were three midweek fixtures in Division One with all three games taking place on Wednesday night. The early leaders of the division are Stratton who look like they will have a much better season following several difficult seasons that saw them relegated from the Premier Division then struggle at the bottom end of Division One. After picking up an opening day win over Faringdon Town Development they followed that up on Wednesday night with a point following a 2-2 draw with Shrivenham Development. Thomas Ayres gave Shrivenham an early lead, but Stratton got themselves back on level terms before the break thanks to an own goal. Both sides were to find the net again once more in the second half, Kieran Sutton scoring for Shrivenham and Philip Amoni for Stratton as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece.

After suffering a heavy opening day defeat at the hands of Purton Kingsdown Reserves, Malmesbury Victoria Development bounced back in style on Wednesday night scoring four unanswered goals against a Bishops Cannings side who had finished just below the promotion positions last season. This was Bishops Cannings first game of the season having been the side without a game on Saturday in a 15-team division. On target for Malmesbury in the 4-0 win were Lewis King, Samuel Jenner, Mani Roper and a second of the season from Joe Liddington.

Pewsey Vale Development  are under new management this season with Tom Taylor taking over in the summer and he has assembled a much stronger squad for the coming season. After their narrow opening day defeat at the hands of Great Western they played host to Marlborough Town on Wednesday night, in what the locals have dubbed the “Pewmar” derby. Marlborough came into the game on the back of an impressive 6-0 opening day win over Westbury United Reserves on Saturday and were looking to make it two wins in two. Come the end of the evening though local bragging rights belonged to Pewsey, as two goals from Callum Jones and one from Ryan Lees gave Pewsey a 3-0 win over their near neighbours to register Pewsey’s first points of the season.