Melksham Town Res Repeat Cup

Final Success Against Larkhall

Once again, as was the case in recent seasons, the sun shone brightly on Fountain Trophies Cup Final day in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League as Premier Division Larkhall Athletic Development  and Melksham Town Reserves met at Devizes Town FC in the 44^th staging of the Senior Cup Final.

For Larkhall Athletic Development this was their third Fountain Trophies Cup Final in four seasons, having won back in Season 2022-23 when they defeated Devizes Town 5-3 in the final before falling to defeat at the hands of this season's cup final opponents Melksham Town Reserves in 2023-24, Melksham winning 2-0 that afternoon. Melksham Town Reserves meanwhile were looking to win the cup for the fifth time having also won the cup back in seasons 2008-09, 2014-15 and 2017-18 as well as that 2023-24 triumph over Larkhall.

Larkhall’s route to the final had seen the draw be kind to them, with Larkhall being drawn at home in all four rounds that they had been involved in. They started with two games against Division One opponents, winning both games comfortably without conceding a goal. Round One saw them defeat Bishops Cannings, a side who would go on to finish runners-up and be promoted to the Premier Division for next season, 6-0. They followed this up with an 8-0 win over Faringdon Town Development. They had a much tougher encounter at the Quarter Final stage, their game against Pewsey Vale finishing 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes meaning penalties were needed to settle matters, Larkhall holding their nerve to win the spot kick contest 5-4 to see themselves through to the Semi Final. In that Semi Final they were set to play Swindon Supermarine Development in what looked to be a superb looking game between two sides challenging for the league title on what was the annual Non-League Day. Unfortunately Swindon Supermarine Dev were unable to field a side denying Larkhall what would have been a bumper crowd on the biggest day in Non-League football. Following previous precedence in all League cup competitions the League Discipline Committee subsequently awarded the tie to Larkhall giving them a free passage into the final.

Melksham Town Reserves path to the final started with a big midweek win away at Westbury United Reserves in Round One, Melksham winning 12-1 in a one-sided affair. In the Second Round they played fellow Premier Division side Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves, last season’s beaten finalists, winning 2-0 to reach the Quarter Final. In that Quarter Final their opponents were another Premier Division side in the shape of Letcombe who Melksham were battling with for a place in the top five. In the cup game it would be Melksham who came out on top, winning 2-1, but it would be Letcombe who finished in fifth spot after the final round of league games. Like Larkhall, Melksham were to need penalties in one of their games to reach the final, those spot kick’s coming in their Semi-Final encounter with Calne Town Reserves, Melksham like Larkhall had done, winning the shootout 5-4 to make it through to the final.

In front of a paying crowd of just under 200 the two sides on Saturday produced a close game of limited clear cut chances in the final.

Referee Freddie Fraser. assistants Graham Hall and Jason Mann, with the two captains Aron Byfield (Melksham Town Res) and Luke Bell (Larkhall Athletic Dev)

Both sides started brightly. Three minutes in Melksham Town Reserves Tom Dowell found himself in space on the edge of the area but his shot on goal went well wide of the post. A minute later, at the other end, Larkhall’s Arlo Stone had a cross shot from wide on the right which Melksham keeper Baily Leach did well to save to prevent his side falling behind. Stone was already having a big influence on the early proceedings, and he had another opportunity on seven minutes but his shot on goal went straight at Leach who easily saved. Just thirty seconds later Melksham went straight up the other end, creating the best chance of the game so far, a defence splitting pass putting Dowell in the clear but an alert Kit Bond in the Larkhall goal was quickly off his line to deny the Melksham striker with a great save.  

On 14 minutes Larkhall’s James Horrocks went down in the box but the shouts for a penalty were correctly waved away by young referee Freddie Fraser who had stamped his authority on the game right from the off. Larkhall were now starting to get on top and the influential Stone had another chance three minutes later, a Ben Wickens cross from the left was cleared by the Melksham defence but the ball went straight to Stone on the edge of the box but his low shot went just wide of the post and it remained 0-0. The same player again went close on 24 minutes with another low shot from the edge of the box, this time the effort went wide of the right-hand post.  Larkhall continued to put the Melksham goal under pressure and were almost gifted an opening goal when Ben Wickens nearly dispossessed Melksham keeper Leach, the keeper recovering just in time to clear the ball to safety.  

A goal was coming but despite that early pressure from Larkhall it was to go the way of Melksham Town Reserves just after the half hour mark. A quick break down the right flank saw Tom Dowell put a low cross into the box which found Liam Brooks who swept the ball into the net past Bond in the Larkhall goal to give Melksham the lead.  Six minutes later Tom Dowell himself was set up with a golden chance by brother Sam, the ball from midfield putting him in the clear but he was unable to find the back of the net, and it remained 1-0.  

Melksham were now starting to create the better chances in front of goal, a ball from Liam Brooks putting Matt Purdy in on goal but a challenge right on the edge of the box saw him brought down in a central position. Olly Clarke took the resulting free-kick but his effort, whilst beating the Larkhall wall, went over the bar to safety. Melksham continued to push for a second and a ball from Purdy three minutes before the break found Tom Dowell whose first time shot was turned around the post by Bond in the Larkhall goal. Nothing came from the resulting corner and the two teams turned around at the break with just the one goal in it.

Olly Clarke's first half free kick from the edge of the box that beat the wall but failed to find the back of the net.

Larkhall started the second half in determined fashion as they looked to get themselves back in the game. Six minutes into the half Ben Wickens for once got the wrong side of the well organised Melksham defence but was unable to find the back of the net against his former club. Moments later Larkhall went close again when Horrocks got on the end of a Stone corner, but his header was cleared to safety by the Melksham defence to once again frustrate the Bath based side. Ten minutes into the half referee Fraser was forced into showing the first yellow card of the afternoon when Larkhall’s Ben Riccio crudely fouled goalscorer Brooks, possibly out of frustration as he was finding it difficult to exert his usual influence on proceedings in midfield, finding himself quickly shut down all afternoon by the hard-working Melksham side. 

Just after the hour mark it was the turn of a Melksham player to find his name in referee Fraser’s book, Olly Clarke seeing yellow for pulling back an opponent. Moments later though his side had a shout for a penalty when Tom Dowell went down in the box, but for the second time in the game the penalty claims were waived away by the young referee who was having an excellent game.  

There was to be major drama on 65 minutes. Larkhall were awarded a free kick just outside the box. Arlo Stone took the free kick which beat the dive of Melksham keeper Leach but came back off the far post and was cleared. Three passes later the ball was in the back of the Larkhall net. Melksham, having broke quickly, went straight down the other end. Substitute Kegan Smart got the better of his defender and then fed the ball into Tom Dowell who fired into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 to Melksham. Fine margins indeed, from going within centimeters of equalising Larkhall found themselves 2-0 down 30 seconds later.

Whilst Larkhall pushed to try and get themselves back in the game they came up against a resolute Melksham back line, admirably led by captain Aron Byfield, who kept the normally potent Larkhall strike force, who have scored over 60 goals between them this season, quiet all afternoon. Ten minutes from time Melksham’s Baillie Nicholls became the third player to find himself in the book and he then picked up a second yellow five minutes later meaning Melksham had to play the closing stages of the game one man short. Despite the numerical advantage Larkhall were unable to get a foothold back into the game, the closest they went was a header from Noah Turner from an Arlos Stone corner that went over the bar. The final whistle saw the usual celebrations from the winning side who had repeated their 2-0 cup final win over Larkhall in the 2023-24 Final.

Congratulations to Justin Flowers and his young side on winning the cup again, the fifth time now that Melksham Town Reserves have lifted the trophy. Commiserations to Larkhall who didn’t really get going after a bright opening, with the high-scoring strike force unable to penetrate a resolute Melksham defence all afternoon.  After going so close in the league to securing honours and then losing in the final,  it was tough on the Larkhall players, but Melksham Town Reserves were deserved winners on the day and if they can keep this side together next season will certainly be one of the leading teams in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League next season.

Arlo Stone whose free-kick went close to bringing Larkhall back level

However, the free-kick came back off the post was cleared up field and resulted in Melksham getting their second 30 seconds later

Kegan Smart who got the better of the Melksham defence to set up the second Melksham goal for Tom Dowell

The individual medals were presented to the two teams and match officials by League Chairman Brian Busson, the last up to receive his medal was Melksham Town Reserves captain and man of the match Aron Byfield who was also presented with the Fountain Trophies Cup.

Result:  Melksham Town Reserves 2 Larkhall Athletic Development 0

Man of the Match: Aron Byfield (Melksham Town Reserves)

Teams

Melksham Town Res:  .Bailey Leach, Ben Gingell, Liam Curtis, Josh Morse, Olly Clarke, Aron Byfield, Liam Brooks, Sam Dowell, Baillie Nicholls, Tom Dowell, Matt Purdy Subs: Kegan Smart, Ollie Farrell, Daryl James, Kieran Higdon, Oscar Hall.

Larkhall Athletic Dev: Kit Bond, Angus Williamson, Luke Bell, Harvey Kendrick, James Payton, Toby Brooks, Ben Riccio, James Okell, Ben Wickens, James Horrocks, Arlo Stone. Subs: Toby Little, Noah Turner, Max Burge, Theo Hubbard, Fenron Davey.

Attendance: 196

More pictures from the Fountain Trophies Cup Final can be found on the League Facebook Group Page.

Click on picture below to view PDF of the Cup Final Programme

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.