Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Penalties Needed to Decide Exciting Cup Tie
Shane Hibbert who scored two from the penalty spot for Wroughton before the game itself went to penalties after it finished 3-3 AET.
On a horrible afternoon for football with a howling wind making it difficult for everyone, five games survived the weather, four in the league and one in the Fountain Trophies Cup First Round. In that cup match, league leaders Wroughton took a break from their quest for the title with another cup match following on from their heroics in midweek in the Wiltshire Senior Cup. In a dramatic afternoon of action at the Red House, they are through to the next round of the league cup competition, keeping the possibility of a treble on track, but it was a close-run thing. Leading scorer Shane Hibbert put Wroughton in front from the penalty spot before Jack Duckers equalised for Purton following a defensive mix-up. They game remained level at the end of ninety minutes sending the match into extra time. Extra time goals from Tom McCulloch and Will Backhouse put the home side Purton 3-1 up and it looked like Wroughton’s unbeaten start to the season was about to end. However, Wroughton dug deep and a second penalty of the afternoon from Hibbert, his 22nd of the season, brought them back into the tie. Tyler Wilkinson, with his fourth of the season, then levelled matters and with neither side able to find a winner it meant penalty kicks would be required to decide who progressed to the Second Round. It was a tense shoot out with sudden death required to settle it. With the shoot-out tied at 6-6, Tom Price put a seventh away for Wroughton and then Wroughton keeper Jack Gibson bame the hero as he saved the final Purton spot kick to make the final score 7-6 in Wroughton’s favour and it is they who progress to Round Two.
Tyler Wilkinson (Wroughton), Jack Duckers and Will Backhouse (Purton) who all scored in the exciting Fountain Trophies Cup First Round game this afternoon.
The three sides just behind Wroughton in the table had a frustrating weekend with their games postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The top league game of the day was scheduled to have been the match at the Southbank Ground between Corsham Town Reserves and Kintbury Rangers, but the pitch at the Southbank had not recovered from the game played in heavy rain in midweek. Shrewton’s trip to Trowbridge was the other game lost to a waterlogged pitch.

Melksham Town Reserves, who are one of two sides from the league who have applied for promotion to Step 6, closed in on the top five that they will need to crack to be eligible for the possibility of promotion with a narrow 1-0 win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. The only goal of the game came courtesy of Harvey Flippance with his ninth league goal and twelfth of the season in all senior competitions for Melksham Town Res. The win saw Melksham move to within four points of fifth placed Purton and five points behind the other side who have applied for promotion, Kintbury Rangers. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development, whose three-game winning run was brought to an end remain one place below Melksham in the table.

Pewsey Vale’s rejuvenation continues with a second consecutive win and their third game unbeaten, the latest success being a come from behind victory over Malmesbury Victoria Development. Gareth Jones put the visitors Malmesbury in front before Connor Marsden replied for Pewsey on the stroke of half time, scoring for the third consecutive game, to make it 1-1 at the interval. A second half winner from Ryan Thomas ensured Pewsey moved off the bottom of the table for the first time this season as the game ended 2-1.

Cricklade Town look like they have put their poor run of results behind them as they secured their second win in their last three games. Two goals from Alex Baker and one from Luke Richards put them 3-0 up and in a commanding position. However, further chances to extend the lead were not taken and two late goals for the home side through Christopher Deane and Jamie Conway made the game look a lot closer than should have been the case on the balance of play on the afternoon.  As a result of the win Cricklade Town climbed above Frome Collegians into ninth spot in the table. For Marlborough that is now 15 without a win ahead of another tough looking encounter next week away to Melksham Town Reserves.

Stratton Juniors moved up a couple of places in the table into 11th place as they completed a second win of the season over visitors Ludgershall Sports. Star of the show was Josh Morse who scored both Stratton goals in their 2-0 win at Meadowcroft. With that Pewsey win it meant Ludgershall slipped to the bottom of the table. They will be hoping for a change of fortune next week when they are in Fountain Trophies Cup action away at Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development.
Results, Saturday 11th January 2020
Premier Division
Corsham Town Res v Kintbury Rangers - Postponed
Marlborough Town 2 Cricklade Town 3
Melksham Town FC Res 1 Royal WBT D 0
Pewsey Vale 2 Malmesbury Victoria Dev 1
Stratton Juniors 2 Ludgershall Sports 0
Trowbridge Town v Shrewton United – Postponed

Fountain Trophies Cup First Round
Purton 3 Wroughton 3 (AET) (6-7 on pens)
Saturday 11January 2020
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