Action from Melksham Town Res opening day come from behind win at RWBT Dev

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 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.

After a fantastic run at the end of last season a number of people are tipping Larkhall Athletic Development to have a much better season in 2025-26. They were trailing 1-0 at half time to a free kick goal from Wroughton's  Aaron Maximen but turned things around after the break scoring three unanswered goals. Larkhall got themselves back on level terms just before the hour mark, the goal coming by way of an own goal from a Wroughton player. Wroughton goalscorer Aaron Maximen was then sent off and Larkhall took full advantage of the extra man, going in front for the first time in the game shortly after courtesy of a James Horrocks goal. Larkhall then made sure of the three points when the ball fell to Ben Riccio on the edge of the box and he hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net to make it 3-1. Larkhall saw out the remaining minutes to secure the opening day win.

The five previous meetings between Purton Kingsdown and Trowbridge Town over the past two season had seen Trowbridge unbeaten, winning four including one game in the Fountain Trophies Cup and drawing the other. They went into the season in confident mood after an unbeaten pre-season that had seen them win six of their seven pre-season games. With Purton Kingsdown having finished last season in third spot they were keen to maintain their upward trajectory and the game had all the hallmarks of being a close encounter and it proved to be just that. The two sides turned around at the break with the game still without a goal. It continued to be a cagey affair after the break, but the decisive moment was to come 16 minutes from time. A Trowbridge attack was broken up and Purton Kingsdown hit the visitors on the break culminating in Tom Stockwell firing home to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Purton Kingsdown had a couple of chances late on to extend their lead but it was to be just the one for the afternoon but that was enough to finally end that run of games without a win against Trowbridge. Your Sport Swindon were again at the game and subscribers can view highlights by clicking on the your Sport Swindon logo below.

Newly promoted Cricklade Town have had to do a complete rebuild over the summer under the new management team of Ian Rosewell and Troy Prentice, this after last season’ manager decamped with most of last season’s team to Hellenic League side Malmesbury Victoria. Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves have also had a summer of change with Nick Edwards moving across from Salisbury Development when Salisbury made the decision not to run the side this season. It started well for Edwards in his sides opening fixture at his new club, goals from Harry Guy and Matt Gunstone-Grey giving his side a 2-0 lead and it remained that way at the break. Cricklade came back strong in the second half though to score three times to take the opening day points. Bemerton’s cause was not being helped by having Travis Budgell sent off 20 minutes from time with Cricklade taking full advantage to score those three goals. On target for Cricklade were brothers Evan Bexon-Shaw and Lewis Bexon-Shaw, summer captures from Lambourn Sports, with Francesco Michienzi a summer signing from Wroughton getting the other Cricklade goal.

It was an excellent opening day for another two of the newly promoted sides. Down Ampney entertained much fancied Park United and two goals from Paddy Cripps and one from Harvey Coster ensured it would to be Down Ampney’s afternoon as they ran out 3-1 winners, Ryan Withers with the Park United goal in reply.

The final game in the Premier Division was at Pewsey Vale where Swindon Supermarine Development were playing their first game at this level, and it would prove to a winning start for the side promoted from the Hellenic League Division 2 at the end of last season. The game remained without a goal at the break, but the deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second half, Casey Spencer-Harding scoring with what proved to be the winning goal.

There are eight games scheduled in midweek. On Tuesday night Cricklade Town host near neighbours Purton Kingsdown, Letcombe entertain Shrivenham, whilst Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development make the short journey to the Weir Field to play Wroughton, as both teams look to bounce back from opening day defeats. There are two more games on Tuesday night with Calne Town Reserves home to Larkhall Athletic Development and Faringdon Town hosting Pewsey Vale. 

The three final midweek fixtures are on Wednesday night with Swindon Supermarine Dev and Down Ampney, who both won on Saturday, meeting at Supermarine. Melksham Town Reserves will look to record back-to-back wins to open the season when they entertain Devizes Town Reserves, whilst Park United play their first game at their new home at Corsham Town when Trowbridge Town are the visitors, with both teams looking to get their first points of the season.

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 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.

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