Action from Down Ampney's 3-2 win over Devzies Town Reserves

(picture courtesy of David Giles)

Premier Division

This weekend’s action in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League got underway on Friday night under the lights at Melksham, where Melksham Town Reserves entertained Trowbridge Town. It would prove to be a good night for the home side, although they were made to work hard for the three points by the visitors, especially in the first half. Trowbridge had a couple of early chances but were unable to find the back of the net and it would be Melksham who went in front on 27 minutes, Nick Taylor scoring from close range. The home side then doubled their lead six minutes before the break, Liam Brooks netting following a quick counterattack. Trowbridge Town replied immediately to reduce the deficit, Aaron Saviour firing home within a minute of the second Melksham goal. The start of the second half saw Trowbridge push for an equaliser, Olly Sterling having the best chance six minutes in but his header from a Martin Johnson cross went straight to the Melksham keeper. Trowbridge then fell further behind on the hour mark, Brooks getting his second of the game with Trowbridge claims for offside being turned away. Five minutes later it was effectively game over as Tom Dowell added a fourth, rounding keeper Jordan Gullis before firing home to make it 4-1 to Melksham. Trowbridge went close to pulling one back ten minutes from time, captain Stephen Fox hitting the Melksham crossbar with his effort, but there were to be no further goals on the night as it finished 4-1. The defeat sees Trowbridge remain at the bottom of the table whilst Melksham went top of the table, overnight at least, as a result of the victory.

Swindon Supermarine  were looking to make it seven straight wins to start the season when they entertained Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves on Saturday. It was mission accomplished for Matt Roberts side, but they were also made to work hard for the three points by Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves as goals from Evan Black and Juan Saloutsis secured a narrow 2-1 win, a sixth of the season from Harry Guy in reply for Bemerton from the penalty spot. Five of the seven Swindon Supermarine wins have been by just a single goal margin, but Supermarine clearly have that winning habit and they will look to make it eight this coming Wednesday night when they entertain Wroughton at the Imagine Cruising Stadium. The latest victory saw Swindon Supermarine move back above Melksham Town Reserves to the top of the table, a point clear and with two games in hand on the two sides immediately below them in the table.

Larkhall Athletic moved up to second place on goal difference with a 2-0 home victory over Faringdon Town. Larkhall took the game to Faringdon right from the off and put them under sustained early pressure. This pressure paid off as they grabbed an opening goal on 15 minutes, Matty Morris getting round the outside of the Faringdon defence before squaring to Ben Wickens to tap home for 1-0. Morris then went from provider to scorer finishing off a sweeping move down the left with an overhead kick to give Larkhall a 2-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes. The rest of the half saw the two sides battle it out in midfield although Larkhall did have the ball in the net again just before half time, but Arlo Stone saw his lobbed finish disallowed by the officials and it remained 2-0 at the break. Faringdon came back strongly in the second half but were unable to find a way through as Larkhall picked up their sixth win of the season. After going unbeaten in their first eight games Faringdon have now lost two games in a row although both defeats were against the top two sides in the division, and they remain in fourth place in the table.

Letcombe are starting to find the form that had seen them finish as runners-up last season. On Saturday they were away at Wroughton looking to repeat the victory they secured on their last visit to the Weir Field last November, a game they had won 2-1. It was a more comfortable afternoon on their latest visit. Oscar Griffiths fired them ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes, taking his tally for the season to four. Leading scorer Jordan Davies then doubled their lead with his sixth goal of the season. Tom Stone then made sure of the points for Letcombe with a third as it finished 3-0 to the visitors.

After Shrewton United suffered the disappointment of seeing their game postponed last week, they returned to action with another home game with the visit of Park United to the Recreation Ground. It started well for the home side, Tom Plank putting them ahead from the penalty spot on 20 minutes after Jordan Cross had been brought down in the box. Shrewton quickly made it two within two minutes Charlie Utterson linking up with Sanjay Samuda, with Samuda firing home for his second goal of the season. It looked like the game was over as a contest when leading scorer Kian Tydeman added a third five minutes before the break to give the home side a 3-0 half time lead. To their credit Park rallied in the second half and pulled a goal back on 66 minutes through Ryan Withers but that was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring as Shrewton took all three points courtesy of a 3-1 win. Shrewton sit sixth in the table with games in hand over all of the four sides immediately above them in the table and they play one of those games in hand on Tuesday when they make the short trip into Salisbury to take on Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves.

It was a tight affair at the Cricklade Leisure Centre where Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development were Cricklade Town’s visitors. The away side continued their good start to the season with a narrow 1-0 win. The all-important goal came a minute before half time, George Staten setting up Prince Nyongolo for his third goal of the season. Whilst the visitors had the better of things in the first half, Cricklade pushed for an equaliser in the second half but lost momentum when goalkeeper Harrison Ellis was sent to the sin bin 15 minutes from time, with striker Danny Hale taking over the gloves for ten minutes. The win for Royal Wootton Bassett saw them move above their beaten opponents on goal difference to sit seventh in the table. They have the chance to move up into the top five in midweek if they can defeat bottom side Trowbridge Town on Tuesday night.

It was carnival weekend in Pewsey this weekend resulting in Pewsey Vale’s game against Shrivenham  kicking off at 1PM. The home side were certainly in a carnival mood as they put four unanswered goals past their visitors to register their third win of the season but they remain in ninth spot for now. Two more goals for Josh Fowler saw him move onto eight for the season with Brandon Vincent and veteran Ryan Banks getting the other two Pewsey goals. The win for Pewsey saw them move to within a point of the three sides immediately above them in the table.

The remaining two games on Saturday both saw five goals scored with the winning side edging it by the odd goal. At the Red House Purton Kingsdown, despite having Will Midler sent off just two minutes into the game for a last man foul,  led 2-0 in their home fixture with Calne Town Reserves thanks to goals from Toby Tew and a second of the season from Daniel Jones. However, visitors Calne came back strongly to score two goals of their own to level matters up at 2-2. There was to be a winner though and it came from the penalty spot late on, Ollie While holding his nerve to put the spot kick away with what proved to be the winner as it finished 3-2 to Purton Kingsdown.

The final game on Saturday in the Premier Division saw Devizes Town Reserves at home against Down Ampney in a battle between two of the sides who won promotion from Division One at the end of last season. Both last season’s fixtures between the sides had been tight affairs, Down Ampney winning 5-4 at home and then drawing 1-1 in the return fixture at Devizes. It was to prove to be another close encounter with the game being decided by a last-minute winner from Down Ampney’s captain Sam Dibble to give his side a 3-2 win. In the first half Devizes were on top and created the better chances and Down Ampney had keeper Jack Wallis to thank for not conceding, the keeper producing a number of excellent saves to deny the home side. Despite that strong first half showing from Devizes, goals from Paddy Cripps and Harvey Coster then saw Down Ampney gain a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Devizes struck back with two goals of their own through Freddie Wyatt and Recce Holland to level matters up at 2-2 only to then concede that late winner from Dibble as Down Ampney registered their third win of the season. David Giles was at the game with his camera and David’s excellent pictures from the game can be found on the League Facebook Group Page.

Division One

It was a good afternoon for Fairford Town Reserves, whilst they were picking up three points away at Stratton their closest rivals in the table were all drawing, allowing Fairford to open up a four-point lead at the top with a game in hand over the three teams immediately below them in the table. The two goals in Fairford’s 2-0 win over Stratton were scored by Dan Thomas and Alec Gawthropp.

Meanwhile Bradford Town Reserves who started the day in second place in the table were away at Shrivenham Development and trailed 1-0 at half time to a Max McCrae goal for Shrivenham. Bradford Town Reserves ensured a share of the points though with a second half goal from Lewis Balkwill as it finished 1-1. Bradford Town Reserves remain in second place whilst Shrivenham Development dropped one place in the table to eighth.

Redhouse remain in third spot in the table after they were also held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Purton Redhouse Reserves with both goals coming in the first half, Nathan Barbato scoring for Redhouse and Recce Ricks with the Purton Kingsdown goal. 

Bishops Cannings made a good start to their game at home to Kintbury Rangers Res, Szyman Raczek firing them ahead with just nine minutes on the clock. However, Paul Hirst equalised for Kintbury Rangers Reserves before the break and the two teams turned around at half time level with all still to play for. Charlie Allsop then fired visitors Kintbury in front with his eighth goal of the season, but Ben Haffenden salvaged a point for Bishops Cannings with an equaliser 15 minutes from time to leave his side in fourth place in the table level on points with Redhouse but a point behind Bradford Town Reserves, all three teams having now played eight games.

Malmesbury Vics Development dislodged Marlborough Town  from fifth spot in the table with a 2-1 away win at Elcot Lane thanks to goals from Gareth Jones and Joe Liddington. The defeat for Marlborough saw them drop three places as a consequence of this defeat and results elsewhere.

Great Western returned to winning ways after two successive defeats, edging a close game with Faringdon Town Development, as the two sides served up a seven-goal game on the 3G at New College. It was a good afternoon for Aquillor Mpofu who scored a hat-trick for Great Western with Eugiene Taderera getting the other goal for the home side. On target for Faringdon Town Development were Gergo Komjati, Taylor Hall and Joshua Rogers.

Lambourn Sports, who have had to undertake a rebuild over the summer after the departure of a number of key players from last season, were playing their first game of the season on home turf on Saturday due to cricket. They had lost all of their opening six games on the road and were still looking for their first points of the season. Their visitors were Pewsey Vale Development, and it was to be a good afternoon for the home side as they finally got their season up and running thanks to goals from Luke Bolton, Blake Foss, Archer Stewart and Leo Tetterfio in a 4-0 win for Lambourn. The victory saw Lambourn close the gap to third from bottom Stratton to a single point.

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