Wiltshire Senior Cup

There were five games in midweek in the Second Round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup involving sides from the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. Three of the ties saw sides from the league up against Step 6 opponents but there were to be no cup upsets as all three fell to defeat against the sides from a higher league. Both Cricklade Town and Purton Kingsdown fell to 5-2 away defeats. Cricklade Town  were at Western League side Calne Town with Nick Craft and Parker Fisher getting their goals, with Cricklade also scoring two of the Calne goals, in addition to the two own goals there were further strikes for Calne from Freddie Culley, Jake Collis and Ben Patey.

Purton Kingsdown were away at Hellenic League side Malmesbury Vics and made a good start to the game going ahead as early as the fourth minute. The lead did not last long though, Kameran Muhid equalising with just over ten minutes gone before Lewis Bexon-Shaw put Malmesbury ahead for the first time in the game. Chris Jackson then extended their lead heading home from a corner. Purton Kingsdown reduced the deficit six minutes before the break to go into the half time break trailing by just the one goal, Finn Broadbank and Daniel Jones with the two Purton Kingsdown goals. Two goals from substitute Callum Parsons early in the second half for Malmesbury ended any hopes of a Purton Kingsdown comeback as Malmesbury progressed to the quarter final stage.

The other tie involving a Wiltshire Senior League side looking to cause a cup upset was at Bemerton where Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves visitors were Western League side Warminster Town. Warminster went ahead on 15 minutes with a goal from Jordan Pinder. It remained just the one goal in it until six minutes from time when Jack Duck added a second for Warminster to ensure their progress to the lats eight of the competition.

The other two ties in midweek were all-Wiltshire Senior League ties. On Tuesday night at Corsham league leaders Swindon Supermarine Development  were Park United’s visitors. The two sides had met just three days earlier in the league at Swindon Supermarine with the Swindon side taking the three points with a 2-0 win. It was a different story on Tuesday evening though as three first half goals gave Park United a commanding 3-0 half time lead. Two well taken goals for Adam Mitchell, which gave Supermarine keeper Ben Creighton no chance, and one from Jamie Cunning giving Park that lead at the break. It remained that way until the final minute of the game when Sam Sanger scored a consolation goal for Swindon Supermarine Development as it finished 3-1.

The final tie in midweek was at Melksham Town where Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development  were Melksham Town Reserves visitors. When the two sides had met in the league earlier in the season, a storming second half performance had seen Melksham come from two goals down to win take the three points courtesy of a 5-2 win. On Wednesday night Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development avenged that earlier defeat with a 3-1 victory to take their place in the last eight of the prestigious County Cup competition. In a high tempo game, goals from Charlie King, Prince Nyongolo and Zach Pettifer did the damage for the visitors, Ollie Farrell with the Melksham Town Reserves goal.

Elsewhere in the competition holders Devizes Town from the Western League also made it through to the last eight with a narrow 3-2 win over Amesbury Town.

The draw for the quarter final was published on Wednesday night and the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League are guaranteed one semi-finalist with Pewsey Vale having been drawn at home to Wroughton. In the other two ties involving Wiltshire Senior League sides our clubs will take on Step 6 opponents, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development are home to Warminster Town, whilst Park United are away to Malmesbury Vics. The remaining tie sees holders Devizes Town away to Calne Town in an all-Western League affair. All games are set for the first week in December.

Premier Division

It was a reduced schedule of games in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League on Saturday with teams three teams engaged in Berks & Bucks County Cup action and one involved in a Fountain Trophies Cup game.

League leaders Swindon Supermarine Dev were in league action and by the end of the afternoon they had extended their lead at the top of the table, but they were made to work hard for the points in what is a very competitive division this season by Devizes Town Reserves. Archy Simpkins put them ahead on 23 minutes and it remained just the one goal in it at half time. Evan Black then doubled the Supermarine lead just before the hour mark but there was to be a quick response from Devizes, Freddie Wyatt scoring to reduce the deficit. However, there was to be an even quicker response from the visitors to restore their two-goal advantage, Black bagging his second of the game within a minute of the Devizes goal. Devizes then scored a second through Wyatt 19 minutes from time but there was to be no equaliser as Swindon Supermarine safely saw out the closing stages to record a 3-2 win and bounce back from that midweek exit in the Wiltshire Senior Cup at the hands of Park United. David Giles was at the game with his camera and more pictures from the game can be seen on the League Facebook Group Page.

Shrewton United are up to second place in the table and once again they registered a big score, netting seven times against Purton Kingsdown to take their goal tally for the season to 50 after just 13 games. Kian Tydeman was once again amongst the goals, but it was to be just the one for him in this latest big win, taking the division’s top scorer onto 21 for the season. There were two goals on his debut for experienced striker Justin Bennett who has played most of his career at a much higher level, two also for Jordan Cross, with an eighth of the season from Tom Plank and a volley into the top corner of the net from Liam Palfreeman in a 7-2 win, Josh Atwell and Callum Wilkinson with the two Purton Kingsdown goals.

Melksham Town Reserves also bounced back from a midweek defeat in the Wiltshire County Senior Cup with a narrow 2-1 win away at Cricklade Town thanks to goals from Tom Dowell and Ollie Farrell to move to within two points of third placed Larkhall Athletic Development., Jacob Ryan with the Cricklade Town goal. After a promising start to the season that is now seven games without a win in all competitions for Cricklade with a tough looking fixture away to leaders Swindon Supermarine Development to come next Saturday.

The defences were very much on top in the game towards the top end of the table between Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and Pewsey Vale on the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. In a game of limited chances, with both goalkeepers having very little to do all afternoon, the closest either side went to scoring was towards the end when a powerful strike from Royal Wootton Bassett Town’s Ben Spackman from outside the box came back of the post and was cleared to safety. The Pewsey defence did a good job keeping the lively Prince Nyongolo and strike partner Okafur Ugonna quiet, whilst at the other end the home defence did a good job limiting the chances for the prolific Josh Fowler. Despite the lack of goal mouth action, it was a decent game between two good sides with Pewsey’s Ryan Banks and Royal Wootton Bassett Town’s George Staten involved in much of their sides build up play. More pictures from this game will appear on the League Facebook Group Page in due course.

Another side to return to winning ways after a midweek County Cup defeat were Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves who picked up three points to move above both Cricklade Town and beaten opponents Down Ampney. On target for Bemerton, in what was their fifth win of the season, were Liam Greenough and Ethan Covil, Connor Hibbs with the Down Ampney reply.

It has been a good end to the week for Park United, after knocking out league leaders Swindon Supermarine Development in the Wiltshire FA County Senior Cup in midweek, on Saturday they picked up their first league win in six games. A solitary goal from Jamie Cunning giving them all three points in a win over Calne Town Reserves who continue to run teams close but just can’t get a result as they fell to an eighth straight defeat. The win for Park saw them climb out of the bottom four.

Fountain Trophies Cup

There were four more games played in the First Round of the Fountain Trophies Cup on Saturday with the ties mainly involving sides from Division One of the league. There was one game involving a Premier Division side and it was to see something of a shock at the Weir Field where Wroughton were home to Shrivenham Development in a game that had been reversed due to Shrivenham first team being at home in their County Cup competition. Despite conceding home advantage it was to be a good afternoon for Shrivenham Dev as two goals from Matthew Slevin in a 2-1 win saw them knock out Premier Division opposition.  

When Pewsey Vale Development and Marlborough Town had met in the league at the start of the season, Pewsey had secured local bragging rights with an impressive 3-0 win over much fancied Marlborough. Marlborough were to return to the scene of that defeat on Saturday in the Fountain Trophies Cup and they well and truly avenged that earlier defeat smashing seven unanswered goals past an out of sorts Pewsey Vale side who had a number of key players missing. It was a good afternoon for Harry Womersley who scored four of the Marlborough Town goals to take his total for the season to 14 in all competitions. The other three Marlborough Town goals were scored by Kieran Maidment, Henry Johnstone and Dylan Sartin.

Purton Kingsdown Reserves are also safely through to the Second Round after a 2-0 home win over Lambourn Sports thanks to goals from Roberto Cinquegrani and Joe Cameron, completing a league and cup double over their beaten opponents, repeating the score in their league meeting earlier in the season.  The win for Purton Kingsdown Reserves sees them still battling on three fronts with them still also in the Wiltshire Junior Cup.

The other tie played on Saturday was at New College where Great Western entertained Bradford Town Reserves. When the two sides had met at the same venue at the start of the season a solitary strike from Ethan Miller had given Great Western all three points but it was to be a much happier return to New College for Bradford Town Reserves as goals from Corey Pugh and Kye Teague secured a 2-1 win and a place in the round of 16. It was 0-0 at the break but Pugh put the visitors ahead before Josh Ukoha levelled matters up at 1-1 with Teague then getting the winner. Details of all the Fountain Trophies Cup games played to date are shown below:

Charles Twelftree Trophy Second Round

Saturday saw four games played in the Berks & Bucks Charles Twelftree Trophy Second Round and it was a day of mixed fortunes for the Wiltshire Senior League sides. Division One side Kintbury Rangers Reserves  fell to a 1-0 defeat thanks to late goal at home against Reading City Reserves from the Thames Valley League whilst Shrivenham were beaten 2-0 at home by a strong Wargrave side, another team from the Thames Valley League who are currently unbeaten in the Premier Division of that league.  

It was a happier afternoon at both Letcombe and Faringdon, although it took a fight back from Letcombe in their game to ensure their continued interest in the cup. They entertained Wokingham Town Reserves, another side from the Thames Valley League Premier Division, and found themselves trailing 2-0 but goals from Calum Pryce, Oscar Griffiths and James Webster turned things around as they ran out 3-2 winners to secure their place in the next round.  

Faringdon Town had a much more comfortable afternoon scoring six times in the first half to go into the break with a commanding lead in their game with Binfield Development who play in Division One of the Thames Valley League. Two goals for both Kyle Bowyer and Corey Cullen, with Jack Moss and Liam Hares getting the other two in a commanding first half showing at Tucker Park. With the game effectively won by half time, Faringdon took their foot off the gas after the break and Binfield scored three times in the second half as it finished 6-3 with Faringdon Town in the hat for the draw for the next round.

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