Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Wroughton in County Cup Semi Final Action
The last time that a side from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League made it through to the final of the prestigious Wiltshire Senior Cup was way back in Season 2003-4 when Trowbridge Town defeated Corsham Town in the final.  Wroughton have tonight the opportunity to emulate Trowbridge’s achievement when they take on Toolstation Western League Division One leaders Calne Town in the semi-final at Melksham Town’s InfiLED Stadium. This is the third attempted staging of the game, with the terrible wet weather of this winter twice forcing the game to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Highworth Town’s Save on Tyres Stadium.

In getting to this stage of the competition Wroughton received a bye in the first round and then met fellow Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side Stratton Juniors in the second round. Goals from their experienced two strikers Aaron Maximen and Shane Hibbert secured a 2-0 win over their Swindon based near neighbours at Meadowcroft setting up a quarter-final encounter with Sydenhams Wessex League side Laverstock & Ford.

The game against Laverstock & Ford was scheduled to be at Laverstock & Ford’s ground in South Wiltshire but, with the match twice postponed, the rules of the Wiltshire County Cup competitions state that the tie switches to the opponents ground following the second such postponement. With Wroughton not possessing floodlights, they secured the use of New College FC’s ground at Supermarine for the third attempted staging of the tie. In a tight contest Wroughton got an early lead when leading scorer Shane Hibbert put them ahead. With both sides creating further scoring opportunities, it was Wroughton who eventually made one of their chances count, with Aaron Maximen adding a second on the stroke of half time to make it 2-0 at the break. Laverstock & Ford stepped it up after the interval and went close on a couple of occasions to reducing the deficit but a second of the game from Maximen put Wroughton 3-0 ahead and in touching distance of a cup upset. Laverstock & Ford, continued to try and get back in the tie and were rewarded with a goal from Tommy Campbell-Smith to make it 3-1. However, that was to be the end of the scoring as Wroughton held out to secure a superb victory over the Sydenhams Wessex League side to set up tonight’s encounter with Calne.

Calne Town meanwhile also had a bye in the first round and have then knocked out two sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League to make the semi-final, defeating Cricklade Town 4-0 in the second round and then beating Trowbridge Town at the quarter final stage after a penalty shootout, the game having finished 1-1. Calne are currently top of the Toolstation Division One table but had hit a bit of a sticky patch with just one win in their three games prior to last Saturday's 3-2 away win over Bishops Sutton. That latest success made it two wins in two and a return to form for Wroughton's opponents. 

Wroughton meanwhile have lost just once in 19 games in all competitions and they have every chance of making it through to the final of the Wiltshire FA’s oldest and most valued competition. For Wroughton the last month has been extremely frustrating for manager Adrian Wilkinson and his players with not only the semi-final being postponed twice but also all league games. Prior to last Saturday’s fixture at Purton, Wroughton had not played since 8th February a game that saw their one and only defeat this season in all competitions, ironically at the InfiLED Stadium against Melksham Town in the Fountain Trophies Cup. Thankfully last Saturday's game at Purton went ahead enabling the Wroughton players some actual competitive action in ahead of the big cup tie, Wroughton coming from two down to draw and extend their unbeaten league run.  In order to keep their players sharp Wroughton have been hiring artificial pitches at Croft Sports Centre and the Grange during a period that manager Wilkinson described as “very frustrating” when we caught up with him last week. Whilst he has been able to keep his players active the use of the 3G surfaces has also come at a cost with goalkeeper Gary Eggleton landing awkwardly after catching a ball on the unforgiving surface and snapping an ACL which means he will now be out for the rest of the season. Wroughton would have had a goalkeeping issue tonight in any event, having enquired with the FA about signing an emergency keeper they were reminded about the rule in the FA County Cups that to be able to play in a semi-final or final you have to have played at least five games for the club. With Eggleton only recently having replaced Jack Gibson, who is also unavailable for the cup tie, Wroughton now have a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the semi-final even though they have had two other keepers signed on all season, with Gibson having played in the majority of games this season . The club have written to the FA asking for dispensation regarding the five-game rule given the circumstances but at the time of writing it is not clear whether the request will be granted which could mean an outfield player having to go in goal in the semi-final of the FA’s most prestigious competition.

In addition, Wroughton have now also lost the services of regular forward Aaron Maximen who is back playing for former club Highworth Town in the Southern League, although the good news is he will still be available for Wroughton in the County Cup and midweek games this season as he remains dual registered with Wroughton. Manager Wilkinson has been active himself in the transfer market bringing in the skilful Matty Bennett in from Hellenic League side Royal Wootton Bassett Town, although he is ineligible for the Wiltshire Senior Cup having played for his former club in the Premier Shield and would also have not met the five game rule. Promising youngster Ben Dodd, who started the season at Wroughton, is also now back playing for the club and manager Wilkinson goes into tonight’s game and the rest of the season in optimistic mood knowing he has a strong squad. Whilst Calne are going very well in the league, manager Wilkinson pointed out that his side had beaten them already this season, having won 1-0 in a pre-season friendly. He commented that they have some good pacy players up front and will have strength in depth in their squad and he expects them to be strong and direct. However, if his side can play like they did against Laverstock & Ford in that semi-final, Wilkinson is confident his side will win and give the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League their first finalist in 16 years. The winners of tonight’s tie will meet Bemerton Heath Harlequins in the final, Bemerton having come back from 2-0 down to defeat Corsham Town 3-2 in the other semi-final.

The big match action at the InfiLED Stadium kicks-off tonight at 7.45 PM and all the management committee and member clubs in the league wish Wroughton all the best in tonight’s encounter and hope they can continue to fly the flag for the league.

Wiltshire Senior Cup 2019-20
First Round
Devizes Town 1 Purton  0
Holt 3 Marlborough Town 2
Pewsey Vale 2 Shrewton United 4 (AET)

Bemerton Heath Harlequins bye
Calne Town bye
Corsham Town bye
Cricklade Town bye
Downton bye
Laverstock & Ford bye
Ludgershall Sports bye
Malmesbury Victoria bye
New College Swindon bye
Stratton Juniors bye
Trowbridge Town bye
Warminster Town bye
Wroughton bye

Second Round
Bemerton Heath H. 19 Ludgershall Sports 0
Calne Town 4 Cricklade Town 0
Downton 3 Warminster Town 2
Holt 1 Malmesbury Victoria 3
Laverstock & Ford 6 New College 0
Shrewton United 0 Corsham Town 3
Stratton Juniors 0 Wroughton 2
Trowbridge Town 2 Devizes Town 1

Quarter Final
Bemerton Heath H 5 Malmesbury Victoria 2
Corsham Town 3 Downton 1
Trowbridge Town 1 Calne Town 1 (2-4 pens)
Wroughton 3 Laverstock & Ford 1

Semi Final
Bemerton Heath H 3 Corsham Town 2
Wroughton v Calne Town

Final
Bemerton Heath H v Wroughton or Calne T

Wednesday 11 March 2020
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