Premier Division

League leaders Shrewton United edged closer to the league title with a hard fought 3-2 away win at Letcombe. Archie Brew gave home side Letcombe an early lead on seven minutes firing home after the ball came back off the crossbar. The home side then suffered a setback on 18 minutes when Dan Timbrell picked up a second yellow card and was sent off by the referee. Shrewton with the numerical advantage sought to get back on level terms, twice hitting the crossbar with efforts on goal, but eventually did restore parity ten minutes before the break. Last week Josh Moore had scored the injury time equaliser to snatch a point away at Swindon Supermarine, and it was he again who found the back of the net to bring his side back level in this encounter, tapping in at the far post to level matters up at 1-1. It remained that way at the break. Within a minute of the restart Shrewton were ahead for the first time in the game, Morgan Aldridge pulling the ball back to Moore to fire home for his second of the game. Aldridge then went from providing an assist to scoring one of his own just after the hour mark, firing in at the far post to make it 3-1 to the visitors. Despite the numerical disadvantage Letcombe pushed hard to get themselves back in the game and were denied on a couple of occasions by Shrewton keeper Cameron Miller. They did finally pull one back three minutes from time through Aaron Mudie but it was too little too late. There was to be no equaliser as Shrewton saw out the closing stages without conceding again to claim three more vital points and edge ever closer to that league title. With five games to go they remain eight points ahead of second placed Larkhall Athletic Development who also have the five games to play. Shrewton are back in action in midweek with another difficult looking away encounter at Melksham Town Reserves.

Josh Moore who scored twice for Shrewton in their 3-2 win at Letcombe

Second in the table Larkhall Athletic Development made the short journey to Trowbridge Town looking to keep the pressure on the league leaders. After heavy rain on Thursday and Friday, the pitch at Trowbridge was well and truly waterlogged come Friday evening but a dry sunny morning and drying wind on Saturday saw the pitch declared fit ahead of kick-off allowing the game to go ahead. Credit to Trowbridge for giving it every chance to get the game played and being rewarded with the fixture going ahead.  Larkhall had the better of the first half and put Trowbridge under sustained pressure. Harvey Kendrick headed over early on and goalkeeper Jordan Gullis’ did well to keep out a Ben Wickens effort from a tight angle. Larkhall had several penalty appeals in the half but all were turned away by the referee and the two teams turned around at the break with the game still looking for its first goal.  Things opened up after the restart and James Okell went close for Larkhall when his effort hit the side netting. Toby Little then fired over from six yards out but a goal was coming. The breakthrough finally came on 65 minutes, Ben Wickens released Angus Williamson down the right and the full back took a touch before firing home.  The home side responded to going behind by stepping up their game, and they put Larkhall under sustained pressure with a series of set pieces. One such set piece created their best moment, the ball fell to George Bendle who forced a fine save from Kit Bond in the Larkhall goal, with the follow up effort being smothered by the Larkhall defence. Larkhall finally made sure of the three points five minutes from time, Toby Little cutting in from the left and then curling a fine effort into the bottom corner of the net to secure the victory for the visitors who remain those eight points behind Shrewton with those  five games to play.

After last week’s surprise 8-2 defeat away at Faringdon Town, Melksham Town Reserves returned to winning ways with a 3-0 away win over Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves. Despite the final score the visitors were made to work hard for the three points by the struggling home side but eventually two goals from Jack Smith and one from Liam Brooks, his 13th of the season, saw Melksham claim all three points. The win for Melksham saw them climb up to fifth place in the table, three points behind Shrivenham but with three games in hand. Bemerton meanwhile remain in deep trouble in the relegation zone and are now running out of games. With just four games to play, including games against promotion chasing Larkhall Athletic Development and Swindon Supermarine Development, they remain four points short of safety and with all their rivals having games in hand.

Devizes Town Reserves moved above Trowbridge Town into ninth spot in the table following a 2-1 away win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, Oliver Ford with a late winner to give his side the three points on the road. Eoin O’Grady with the other Devizes goal and Charlie King getting the goal for the home side. That is back-to-back defeats for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development who, after spending a large part of the season in the top six, are in danger of ending the season outside the top six with just three games to go, all of which look to be tough looking away games.

Pewsey Vale moved above Letcombe on goal difference and to within a point of Royal Wootton Bassett Town with a come from behind win over Faringdon Town at the Recreation Ground. Daniel Hoskin fired the visitors Faringdon ahead on 17 minutes, a ball from Ray Lovell putting him clear of the defence and he slid the ball under the advancing Pewsey keeper to give his side a 1-0 lead. However, goals from the experienced Ryan Banks and Connor Marsden turned things round for Pewsey. Faringdon pushed for an equaliser and thought they had levelled matters up 17 minutes from time. Unfortunately for them the officials saw an infringement and the goal was disallowed after a discussion between the referee and one of his assistants. Faringdon were not happy and saw themselves reduced to nine men for the closing stages as Aiden Miller was sent off and Lovell sent to the sinbin presumably for disputing the decision. Lovell returned to the fray just before the end of normal time, but both sides would end the game with just ten on the pitch as an injury to a Pewsey player with no further substitutes available saw them also end the game one man down. There was to be no further goals as it finished 2-1 to the home side..

Ryan Banks who scored one of the two Pewsey Vale goals in their 2-1 win over Faringdon Town

There were a couple of vital wins for sides at the wrong end of the table in their bid to avoid the drop. A solitary second half goal from Jono Peachey Score gave Wroughton a narrow 1-0 away win in their local derby encounter with Purton Kingsdown at the Red House. That is two 1-0 wins on the bounce for Glenn Horsell’s side. The win for Wroughton saw them move above Down Ampney and out of the relegation zone. With games in hand over the sides around them in the table Wroughton will be hoping they continue to accumulate enough points to secure safety come the season end.  

Park United also won by the same score in their away fixture at Calne Town Reserves, Alex Pring with his second of the season getting the all-important goal which kept Park one point ahead of Wroughton albeit that they have played four games more than Wroughton. Park United are back in action in midweek when they entertain promotion chasing Swindon Supermarine Development.

Fountain Trophies Cup

One of the two outstanding Fountain Trophies Cup Quarter Final ties was played on Saturday and it produced a close encounter between Down Ampney and Swindon Supermarine Development. Although struggling at the wrong end of the table Down Ampney have taken a liking to this cup competition since rejoining the league, having made last season’s semi-final. Despite falling behind to an early goal from Supermarine’s Takunda Mutema, Down Ampney got themselves back on level terms through Harry Sealey. As the game moved deep into injury time, and it looked like a penalty shootout would be needed to settle matters, there was to be late drama with Swindon Supermarine being awarded a penalty in the seventh minute of injury time. The spot kick meant captain Regan Lach was given the chance to avoid his teammates having to also to take any penalties. Lach held his nerve to score and send his side through to the last four.

The draw for the semi-finals has been made by League Chairman Brian Busson and League Secretary Jim Thorn and it sees Swindon Supermarine Development drawn away to the side who sit just above them in the table, Larkhall Athletic Development whilst the other tie will see the winner of the one remaining Quarter Final tie between Melksham Town Reserves and Letcombe home to Calne Town Reserves. That outstanding Quarter Final is set for next Saturday.  Full details of this season's Fountain Trophies Cup is shown below:

Division One

As with the Premier Division all the scheduled fixtures in Division One went ahead this week. With leaders Fairford Town Reserves without a game, as was the case with two of the other title challengers Malmesbury Vics Development and Bradford Town Reserves, with all three clubs having their first teams at home this weekend, second placed Bishops Cannings had the chance to close the gap at the top of the table.

Bishops Cannings were away to the bottom side Faringdon Town Development  who have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks under the new management team. However, Bishops Cannings are the form team in the division and came into Saturday’s encounter on the back of four straight wins in which they had scored 26 goals in the process of achieving those four victories. They once again found the shooting boots against Faringdon. Oliver Barnes opened the scoring on 12 minutes, but it took until a minute before half time for them to double their lead, Ethan Howard getting the second goal to give them a 2-0 half time lead. It was to remain that way until 17 minutes from time, Harry Drewitt adding a third for to effectively make sure of the three points. Five minutes later it was definitely game over as Szymon Raczek bagged his 25^th of the season to make it 4-0. A second of the game from Howard made it 5-0 but there was to be a late consolation goal for Faringdon Town Development, Kyle Wootton pulling one back to make the final score 5-1 to Bishops Cannings. The win for Bishops Cannings saw them move to within seven points of leaders Fairford with a game in hand.

Marlborough Town had hit a bad run of form at the wrong time in the season ahead of their trip into Swindon. They came into this weekend’s fixture against Stratton on the back of four straight defeats in all competitions, including going out of the Fountain Trophies Cup at the hands of Swindon Supermarine Development and seeing their promotion hopes severely damaged with three league defeats against fellow promotion rivals. They finally returned to winning ways on Saturday with a 4-1 away win at Stratton thanks to two goals from Alfie Johnstone and one apiece for Max Sweetlove and Jake Farrell, Kieren Dunne with the Stratton goal.

Another side who had been on a bad run were Kintbury Rangers Reserves. The last time they had tasted victory was way back at the beginning of October, but they finally ended that miserable run with a come from behind win against Redhouse at the Recreation Ground on Saturday. Trailing to an own goal at the break, Kintbury turned things around in the second half as goals from Aiden Maycock, Aydan Hutchings and Charlie Allsop secured a 3-1 home win. With four of their last five games on home turf, they will be hoping to pick up more points between now and the end of the season although two of the home games are against promotion chasing Bishops Cannings and Malmesbury Victoria Development and they also still have to travel to Bradford Town Reserves, another of the promotion chasing sides in their only remaining away fixture.

The two remaining fixtures on Saturday both resulted in draws. At Shrivenham the defences were certainly on top as Shrivenham Development and Great Western fought out a 0-0 draw to share the points, leaving both sides on 25 points in mid-table.

The other drawn game was between Purton Kingsdown Reserves  and Pewsey Vale Development on the 3G at Kingsdown School, Connor Harrison scoring for the home side Purton Kingsdown and James Salkeld getting the Pewsey Vale Development goal in the 1-1 draw.  

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