The wet weather continues to impact fixtures in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with four fixtures postponed on Saturday. Thankfully Division One fixtures emerged from the weekend unscathed with all games getting the go ahead.

Premier Division

One of the postponed games in the Premier Division was the top of the table clash between Swindon Supermarine Development and Shrewton United. This gave third placed Larkhall Athletic Development the opportunity to move back second in the table and also close the gap to the league leaders. It was mission accomplished on both counts for James Riciio’s side as they registered a comfortable 6-1 home win on the 3G at the Plain Ham Ground against relegation threatened Down Ampney. Larkhall were quick out of the blocks forcing their visitors back. They opened the scoring on ten minutes, James Payton playing in Angus Williamson and the full back on his return to the side, finished well. The second came on 20 minutes, Ben Riccio fed Ben Wickens on the left who finished from 16 yards out for 2-0. The Down Ampney keeper Jack Wallis then made two excellent saves to prevent further damage. However, he was beaten for the third time ten minutes before the break when James Horrocks rounded him to fire home for 3-0. There was to be one more goal before the break, Harvey Coster pulling one back for Down Ampney just before half time. However, Larkhall restored their three-goal advantage within two minutes of the restart with a well worked team goal that involved numerous passes before Arlo Stone released Williamson who grabbed his second of the game to make it 4-1.  Two late goals from substitutes Max Burge and Fenton Davey rounded off a good afternoon for the home side as it finished 6-1 as Larkhall moved back above Swindon Supermarine on goal difference and to within seven points of leaders Shrewton United, albeit having played one game more than the other two sides in the quest for honours.

Angus Williamson(2) and James Horrocks who were both amongst the goals for Larkhall Athletci Dev in their 6-1 win over Down Ampney

There was a local derby at Bassett Road in Letcombe where the home side entertained near neighbours Faringdon Town who made the short ten-mile journey on the back of a run of five straight defeats, four of which were by a single goal margin. They were once again involved in a close encounter that would be decided by the odd goal and unfortunately for Faringdon they were once again on the wrong end of the result. Letcombe got themselves in front ten minutes before the break, Oscar Griffiths setting up Calum Pryce who rounded Faringdon keeper Jack Gibson before putting the ball away for 1-0 to the home side. The lead did not last long though as four minutes later Faringdon were back on level terms, Kyle Bowyer’s cross finding Luke Davenport who fired in from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net for 1-1.  What would prove to be the winning goal came six minutes into the second half, Kieran Kerby whipping a dangerous ball across the six-yard box that Griffiths got on the end of to steer home to restore Letcombe’s lead. Whilst Faringdon pushed hard to try and get back into the game there was to be no second goal and that run of narrow defeats was unfortunately for them extended. With a run of games now coming up against sides at the bottom end of the table they will be hoping they will quickly return to winning ways to avoid getting sucked into another relegation battle. Despite the win Letcombe remain in fifth spot but are now just two points behind Shrivenham with two games in hand.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development  switched their game against Park United to the 3G pitch at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, a surface that visitors Park would have been familiar with having played at Stanley Park last season. On a windy afternoon the home side started the first half with the wind behind them and dominated most of the first half. However, it was only towards the end of the half that they managed to make the breakthrough. A corner into the box was not properly cleared, the ball finding Evan Bexon-Shaw who fired home for his first goal for his new club since joining from Cricklade Town to put the home side 1-0 up. It remained that way at the break. Park United were back on level terms soon after the restart though, Jamie Cunning firing home from the edge of the box to level matters up at 1-1. Both sides then pushed for a winner, and it was to be the home side Royal Wootton Bassett Development who got it three minutes from time, Charlie King hitting a shot from 25-yards out that took a deflection on its way into the back of the Park net. A narrow 2-1 win for the home side in a game that could have gone either way. The three points sees Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development remain a point behind Letcombe and they are now three points above the team immediately below them, Melksham Town, but having played four more games than the two sides immediately above and below them in the table.

RWBT Dev and Park United, both pictured earlier in the season, who were involved in a close game yesterday, RWBT winning thanks to a late goal

Calne Town Reserves tough season continued on Saturday when they fell to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Purton Kingsdown, the visitor’s player-manager Louis O'Shea getting the all-important goal to give his side the three points. The win for Purton Kingsdown saw them climb two places in the table to ninth place, whilst Calne Town Reserves remain eight points adrift at the bottom of the table having played more games than the two sides immediately above them.

Division One

It was a good afternoon in Division One with all six scheduled games being played and there was to be a something of a surprise result as league leaders Fairford Town Reserves were held to a 1-1 draw by Stratton who are struggling at the wrong end of the table. The game remained without a goal until the hour mark when Tom Oram fired visitors Stratton ahead It remained just the one goal in it until nine minutes from time when a Stratton player unfortunately put the ball in his own net to level matters up at 1-1 and give Fairford a share of the points. An excellent result for Stratton but results elsewhere meant they actually slipped one place in the table.

The two dropped points by Fairford Town Reserves meant the chasing pack of Marlborough Town, Malmesbury Vics Dev and Bishops Cannings all had the chance to close the gap at the top of the table and all three secured victories to erode Fairford’s lead. Second placed Marlborough Town were 5-1 home winners over struggling Faringdon Town Development with all five goals being scored by a different player. On target for Marlborough were Josh De Souza, Kieran Maidment, Dan Burke, Oli Marland and Jake Farrell, Tyler Fitchett with the solitary goal in reply for Faringdon. The win sets Marlborough up nicely for next Saturday’s top of the table clash with Fairford.

Also scoring five in their game were Bishops Cannings who won 5-1 at home on the 3G against another of the sides who play on a 3G pitch, Purton Kingsdown Reserves. First half goals from Ethan Howard and Ben Haffenden gave Bishops Cannings a 2-1 half time lead, Archie Atwell with the Purton Kingsdown goal. However, three unanswered goals in the second half made sure of the three points for Bishops Cannings. Kory Wildman made it 3-1 four minutes after the restart before Howard bagged his second of the game to move onto 12 for the season as he made it 4-1. The afternoon’s scoring was rounded off by Tom Sharples who added a fifth for Bishops Canning on 67 minutes.

Third placed Malmesbury Victoria Development were away to Great Western on the 3G at New College and they returned home with all three points in the bag thanks to two goals from Sam Parker and one from Joe Tranter in a 3-0 win, registering a league double over Great Western this season in the process having won 4-1 in the first meeting of the season back in November.

Bradford Town Reserves sit in sixth place in the table, six points behind third placed Malmesbury Victoria Development but with two games in hand, and may and yet still feature in the promotion race. Saturday saw them away at Redhouse on the 3G at Moredon and it was to prove to be a productive afternoon for the visitors. Goals from Tyler Robinson, Josiah McKayle and leading scorer Kieran Balchin saw them lead 3-0 at the break. Redhouse pulled one back early in the second half but a second for Balchin restored the three-goal advantage. Back came Redhouse with another goal to make it 4-2 but a third for Balchin to complete his hat-trick made sure of the points for Bradford Town who have now won two games in a row in which they have scored five times, with bottom of the table Faringdon Town Development next up.

The final game of the day in the division saw Pewsey Vale Development pick up their fourth win of the season to move above Stratton at the bottom end of the table, two goals from Kendonn John securing a narrow 2-1 victory over visitors Kintbury Rangers Reserves, Toby Nethercot with the Kintbury Rangers goal. The win saw Pewsey move two points clear of Stratton and to within two points of Redhouse with games in hand over both.

For exclusive insight from the team managers of our clubs read Your Sport's Swindon weekly coverage of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. For details of how to subscribe see the advert below.