There were three Quarter Final ties in the Fountain Trophies Cup scheduled for Saturday along with the one outstanding Second Round tie, although in the end just two of the three Quarter Final ties were played. Unfortunately the game between Melksham Town Reserves and Letcombe was postponed by Melksham due to the condition of their pitch as a result of fixtures played on it earlier in the week. This was the only game of the day postponed due to the weather on a much better Saturday in the league.

Fountain Trophies Cup

The two Quarter Final ties that were played both needed penalties to decide matters. Larkhall Athletic Development were home to Pewsey Vale in a game, which ahead of the weekend, looked to be the top game of the round. It certainly lived up to its billing. Larkhall were quick out of the blocks and Matty Morris went close after just 44 seconds. Larkhall continued to press early and were rewarded with the opening goal on 12 minutes, Arlo Stone setting up James Okell for his third goal in this season’s cup competition and taking his adjusted goal tally for the season to 15. Okell then went close again shortly after before the home side then had a penalty shout turned away moments later. Pewsey Vale then came into the game strongly, Josh Fowler went close before Pewsey bagged a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half time, a deflected right-wing cross enabling Finn Kiddle to lift the ball over Kit Bond in the Larkhall goal. The second half remained a tight affair with much of the action confined to the midfield area but on the hour mark there was to be a wonder goal to stun the home supporters, Connor Marsdon firing home with a left foot strike from 25-yards out into the top left hand corner of the net to put the visitors 2-1 up. This forced Larkhall into three changes and a more attacking shape as they went in search of an equaliser. The momentum swung back their way, and the equaliser came on 78mins, Angus Williamson was released down the right, he squared the ball across the box for Larkhall’s leading scorer James Horrocks to tap home for his 17^th goal of the campaign. With game edging towards penalties Harvey Kendrick headed just over in injury time. The final whistle went shortly after to bring an end to a great game which neither side deserved to lose. However, being a cup tie there had to be a winner and hence penalties were needed to decide matters. Larkhall won the toss and elected to take the first penalty. There then followed nine excellent penalties in keeping with what had transpired over 90 minutes, with neither keeper having any chance with any of the penalties. Unfortunately for Pewsey Vale they missed their final kick meaning it was Larkhall who progress to the last four of the competition.

Larkhall Athletic Dev who through to the Cup Semi Final after a penalty shootout win over Pewsey Vale

The other Quarter Final tie played saw Shrivenham host Calne Town Reserves. On paper Shrivenham started as strong favourites, fourth in the table and some 36 points better off than their opponents in the league table, who sit bottom of the Premier Division table. However, in recent games Calne Town Reserves have been pushing some of the leading sides all the way and they also came into the game on the back of a confidence boosting second win of the season seven days earlier. It was to be another strong performance from the young Calne side who matched their opponents in another tight contest. The game eventually needed penalties to settle matters after it finished 1-1, Nathan Marland scoring for Shrivenham and 16-year-old Alex Greenouff getting the Calne goal, also bagging man-of-the-match from his manager. It would be Calne who prevailed in the penalty shootout, Darcy Garner, Oliwer Fedyk, Tom Arliss and Greenouff all scored their penalties whilst Shrivenham saw one of their spot kicks saved by Jack Fry in the Calne goal and then blasted one of their other ones over as Calne won the spot kick contest 4-2 to progress to the semi-final stage.

In addition to the two Quarter Final ties there was also the one outstanding Second Round tie between Premier Division Swindon Supermarine Development  and Division One side Marlborough Town, which finally got played at the sixth time of asking. The Premier Division side, who are still involved in the title race and possible promotion to Step 6, showed their higher division class to lead 3-0 at the break, captain Regan Lach scoring a first half hat-trick. The opener game just three minutes in and Lach then doubled the lead from the penalty spot just after the half hour mark and then competed his hat-trick seven minutes before half time. A second penalty, again safely despatched by Lach, within a minute of the restart effectively ended the tie as a contest. Swindon Supermarine added a fifth from another penalty six minutes later, Evan Black this time taking responsibility to put Supermarine 5-0 up. With Hellenic League side Corsham Town without a game, Marlborough had called up former player Alfie Presley who had played for them in his younger days and who had been part of the Cricklade side who had won the cup last season, and he pulled one back for Marlborough to make it 5-1. However, there will be no cup final this year for Presley as further Supermarine goals from Archy Simpkins and Tom Lane made the final score 7-1 and a comfortable passage into the Quarter Final where Swindon Supermarine Dev will be away to Down Ampney. Highlights from the win over Marlborough Town can be viewed on Swindon Supermarine TV.

Full details of the Fountain Trophies Cup to date is shown below:

Premier Division

At the top of the table, with their two nearest rivals in Fountains Trophies Cup action, Shrewton United  had the opportunity to open up a ten-point lead at the top of the table if they could secure a win away at Purton Kingsdown. It started well for the leaders, Scott Hassell getting on the end of a long throw to head Shrewton in front with just eight minutes on the clock. Shrewton extended their lead just after the half hour mark with a well worked goal, Lewis Elshaw finding Charlie Utterson who drove towards goal before laying the ball off to Tom Plank who fired home for 2-0. The teams turned around at the break with Shrewton holding that two goal advantage. Two quickly became three, Charlie Utterson winning a penalty three minutes into the second half which Plank duly despatched to make it 3-0. There was to be a late consolation goal for Purton Kingsdown, Joe Cameron scoring two minutes from time to make the final score 3-1 to Shrewton United and mission accomplished for George Plank’s side as they end the week with a ten-point lead at the top with seven games remaining.

 Shrewton Utd who went 10 points clear at the top of the table with a 3-1 win at Purton KIngsdown

After a tough start to the season, Trowbridge Town had been forced into a change in manager which had seen the desired uptick in fortunes. However, back-to-back defeats at the hands of Shrewton United and Devizes Town Reserves meant further work was still needed to ensure Trowbridge would retain their Premier Division status to facilitate a promotion push next season. They travelled to another side involved in the relegation battle, Down Ampney looking to return to winning ways. In a tight first half neither side was able to make the breakthrough and the two sides turned around with the game still without a goal. The deadlock was finally broken ten minutes into the second half, George Bendle scoring his eleventh goal of the season. They then doubled their lead on the hour mark, Ryan Baggs heading home with his first goal of the season. Down Ampney got themselves back into the game 15 minutes from time, recent signing Jake Collis scoring with a shot from distance for his first goal for his new club. There was to be no equaliser though as Trowbridge saw out the closing stages without conceding again to claim the three points and end that short run of defeats. The victory sees them now nine points ahead of Down Ampney with seven games to play, six of which are at home starting this coming Wednesday when they host another of the sides at the wrong end of the table, Wroughton. Trowbridge should pick up enough points from those remaining games to eliminate any relegation concerns. Down Ampney though remain deep in a relegation battle but still have two games in hand over Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves who remain just one point above them in the table. However, that is now three straight defeats for Down Ampney, with another tough looking game next week when they travel to Letcombe before hosting Swindon Supermarine Dev in the Quarter Final of the Fountain Trophies Cup. Alwyn Bodman was at the game with his camera and more of his pictures from the game can be found on the League Facebook Group Page.

Action from Trowbridge Town's win over Down Ampney

(pictures courtesy of Alwyn Bodman)

Devizes Town Reserves have been in decent form since the turn of the calendar year and they made it ten points from their last six games with a 2-0 home win over another of the relegation threatened sides, Park United. Goals from Fin Pamer and Toby Baker secured the points for Ray King’s side who sit a point ahead of Trowbridge in tenth place in the table. The only defeats Devizes have suffered in 2026 have been against the top two Shrewton United and Larkhall Athletic Development and if they continue their recent form, they could yet achieve a top half of the table finish in their first season back in the Premier Division. For their beaten opponents that is now five straight defeats for Park who for now remain three points above the relegation zone but need to bring that run of defeats to an end quickly, but have another tough looking fixture next week away to Pewsey Vale. David Giles was at the game with his camera and more of his pictures from the game can be accessed from the League Facebook Group Page.

More action from Devizes Town Res 2-0 win over Park Utd

(pictures courtesy of David Giles)

Faringdon Town had been on a miserable run in the league that had seen them fail to win in eight games. That said, five of the seven defeats in that run had been by a one goal margin, the other two by a two-goal margin, but whilst competitive in all the games they had been on the wrong end of the final result and had slipped down the table. Building on a big win in midweek in the Faringdon Memorial Trophy over Highworth Town Reserves they finally put that run of league games without a win behind them with a come from behind victory against one of the sides who are very much in a relegation battle, that side being Wroughton. It started well for the home side Wroughton, Jono Peachey-Score capitalising on indecision from Faringdon keeper Jack Gibson to get on the end of a Jonny Davoille ball into the box to head the hosts ahead six minutes into the game. Five minutes later, Aiden Miller pulled the visitors level with a shot from inside the box after the Wroughton keeper failed to hold onto a shot on goal. Ten minutes later Faringdon went in front for the first time in the game, Daniel Loyden firing into the far top corner of the net after the ball fell to him on the edge of the box following a flick on from Kyle Bowyer. After half-time, Faringdon remained in the ascendancy and were awarded a hotly contested penalty. After a bit of a delay, which saw one player sent to the sin bin and the Wroughton manager booked, Miller calmly put the penalty away to make it 3-1 to the visitors which was how it finished.  With those three vital points, Faringdon Town have moved eight points above the relegation zone, while Wroughton remain inside it by two points, but have several games in hand, one of which is this coming Wednesday away at Trowbridge Town. Your Sport Swindon were at the game at Wroughton, and subscribers can view highlights and an interview with Wroughton manager Glenn Horsell by clicking on the Your Sport Swindon logo below.

Division One

For once all the scheduled games in Division One were not impacted by the weather, the only scheduled game not to go ahead being the Bradford Town Reserves v Purton Kingsdown game postponed due to the Bradford Town first team having a home semi-final game in the Western League’s Les Phillips Cup.

The five games played in Division One provided plenty of goals, with 35 goals scored across the games. Biggest winners of the day were Bishops Cannings who hit ten against an out of sorts Stratton side. When Stratton went 1-0 up within the first 30 seconds thanks to a Ramon Faruq goal few would have predicted such a heavy defeat for Stratton though. Leading scorer Szymon Raczek had Bishops Cannings back level on eight minutes and seven minutes later Bishops Cannings went ahead for the first time with a goal from Ethan Howard. From there on it became a one-sided affair as further goals from Oliver Barnes, Ben Haffenden, Thomas Buckle and a second for Howard saw the home side lead 6-1 at the break. There was no let-up in the second half with both Howard and Raczek scoring two more each, Raczek to complete a hat-tricks and Howard to take his total for the game to four. There was also a consolation goal for Stratton, with Faruq getting his second of the game as it finished 10-2.

Despite that win, with just four games to go, Bishops Cannings are very unlikely to catch league leaders Fairford Town Reserves  who maintained their ten-point lead at the top of the table by completing a quick-fire double over Pewsey Vale Development. Last week it had been a narrow 1-0 win, but the return fixture saw the leaders find their scoring boots, running out comfortable 5-1 winners. The goals were shared around the team with Oliver Bradbury, Aston Garland, Daren Regis, Max Scholefield and Joseph Gargett all finding the back of the net, Kendonn John with the Pewsey Vale goal. Whilst Fairford have that large lead at the top and just three games to play they will be mindful that both Malmesbury Vics Development and Bradford Town Reserves, with games in hand, can still move to within two points of them if one of them wins all their games in hand. However, with Fairford set to host Malmesbury in a few weeks’ time and with Malmesbury also still to play Bradford Town Reserves in the final run in the title is very much in Fairford’s own hands.

With Marlborough Town involved in that Fountain Trophies cup game, Malmesbury Vics Development  had the chance to move to within a point of third placed Marlborough if they could beat Redhouse. With the Flying Monk still not quite recovered from the wet period, the game was switched to the 3G pitch at the Sir William Romney School in Tetbury that had been used successfully by their women's side. Whilst Redhouse are used to playing on the 3G at Moredon the Malmesbury side also took a liking to the surface and the two sides served up nine goals between them. In a dominant first half showing Malmesbury led 6-1 at the break, two goals for Sam Parker with one apiece for Jacob Pinnell, Reuben Allaway, Joe Tranter and Joe Liddington, the division’s leading scorer Cameron Shrubb with the Redhouse goal. Credit to Redhouse who did not give up and came back in the second half with Shrubb scoring two more to complete his hat-trick, and take his adjusted total for the season to 30, as the visitors had the consolation of winning the second half 2-0 as it finished 6-3 to the home side.

In the week, bottom of the table Faringdon Town Development had a change of manager with Lee Chamberlain taking over in the dugout. However, it was not to be a winning start for the new man in charge as visitors Great Western returned to Swindon with all three points following a 3-2 win. Great Western’s leading scorer Ethan Miller did the damage scoring a hat-trick, Taylor Hall getting both the Faringdon goals.  

After multiple postponements due to the weather, Kintbury Rangers Reserves finally got to play on home turf for the first time since October but unfortunately for them it was not to be a winning return as goals from Kai Richardson and Luke Saunders secured a 2-1 away win for visitors Shrivenham Development, Alistair Thorp with the Kintbury goal. 

Kick-off Times and Registration Deadline

Clubs are reminded that from next Saturday all kick-off times for weekend games revert to 3PM. Clubs are also reminded that the registration and transfer deadline for the 2025-26 Season is 31st March.