Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Purton in Big Win on an Emotional Afternoon
This weekend's opening day of the 2019-20 Season was overshadowed by the sad passing of Purton Secretary Alan Eastwood this week. Purton wished for their game against Pewsey Vale Development to still go ahead, with a minute’s silence held as a mark of respect to Alan at the Red House before the game, with a similar mark of respect taking place at all the other grounds in the league hosting fixtures today. On what would have been a tough day for all involved with the club, Purton manager Liam Lewis and his side did the club proud on the opening day of the season as they ran out 9-1 winners over Pewsey Vale Development. Pewsey actually went in front through Corey Cullen but after that Purton turned on the style to run out comfortable winners in the end.  Last season’s top scorer Will Backhouse carried on from where he left off last season firing a hat-trick, there was two goals a piece for both Daren Regis and Jamie Tuck, with further goals from Steve Keir and Jack Duckers completing the scoring.

Wroughton were scheduled to open their defence of the title with a trip to new side Holt FC, promoted to the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League after winning the Trowbridge & District League last season. Unfortunately, heavy overnight rain meant that the Westbury United ground, where Holt will play their home games, was deemed unplayable by the home club and the teams were left frustrated on the opening day and will see action for the first time in midweek.

Last season's runners-up Kintbury Rangers had an opening day meet up with Malmesbury Victoria Dev, a side who had left the Recreation Ground last season with a point after a hard fought 2-2 draw. This time round there was to be no repeat for Troy Prentice and Dave Sheppard’s young side as they were well and truly beaten by a rampant Kintbury side. First half goals from Jamie Gannon, new signing Russell Benham, Shaun Thorp, Harry Way and two from Tom Mahoney saw Kintbury 6-0 up at the break. In the second half Kintbury did not let up and last season’s leading scorer in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Shaun Thorp fired a second half hat-trick to make it four for him on the opening day and Harry Way with his second of the game completed the scoring as Kintbury ran out 10-0 winners.

In what looked on paper to be the top match of the day in the opening round of fixtures, last season’s third place finishers Shrewton United made the trip to Cricklade in the knowledge that they had lost both games to Cricklade last season. With manager Joe Sheldrake unable to take his place in the dugout, his assistant Geoff Jenks took charge of the Shrewton side. The game lived up to expectations as two of the fancied sides delivered up a nine-goal thriller. Cricklade came flying out of the blocks in the first half and scored three times in the opening 15 minutes before Dean Smith pulled one back for Shrewton. Cricklade restored their three-goal lead to go into the half-time break 4-1 to the good courtesy of goals from Joe Broadbank, Elliott Corp, Max Scholefield and Jason Tatum. Thinking that they had the game won Cricklade took their foot off the gas and Shrewton came storming back into the match, scoring three unanswered goals from new signing Saul Johnson, Steve Holvey and Charlie Utterson to get back on level terms at 4-4. They then twice hit the post as they went close to going in front for the first time in the match only to then concede a late winner, Joe Broadbank netting the winner for Cricklade.
Two goalkeepers in action in yesterday's Cricklade Town v Shrewton United game
(Pictures courtesy of Registration Secretary Brian Busson)
Trowbridge Town had ended last season on a high with a 14-game unbeaten run that had seen them not lose in 2019 ahead of the visit of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Dev to Woodmarsh. By way of added interest to today’s encounter Royal Wootton Bassett Town were the last side to inflict a defeat on Trowbridge when they won 3-2 at the Gerard Buxton Ground back in December. No such repeat today though as Trowbridge extended the run to 15 games, racing into a 4-0 lead at the break. However, after a poor showing in the first half, Royal Wootton Bassett Town put in a much improved second half showing as Trowbridge eventually ran out 6-1 winners. On target for the home side were Jordan Gullis and Aaron Masson, who both bagged a brace, Alex Pippard and Ben Ryder. The consolation for the visitors was scored by substitute Tom Phillips.

Frome Collegians, promoted from the Mid Somerset League at the end of last season, where they had achieved a remarkable treble for the second consecutive season, winning the Premier Division of that league and also winning the league’s knock-out cup and county cup competitions, opened life in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with a visit from Corsham Town Res. Last season Corsham had remained unbeaten at home but their away day blues had meant they had been unable to finish in the top five. If the opening day is anything to go by, Jamie Moss’s Corsham side look to be a much more robust proposition on their travels this season. Daniel King had a majestic first half for the visitors, putting them 1-0 with a free kick from distance. Frome Collegians got back on level terms only for King to restore Corsham’s advantage when he got on the end of a Matt Ralph free kick. Frome Collegians once again got back on level terms, the two Frome goals coming through Lewis Perrett and Matt Parsons. In an entertaining first half Corsham then went back in front through an Ed McCormack goal before King completed his hat-trick with a powerful header to give his side a two goal advantage for the first time in the match and the two sides went into the half time break with Corsham 4-2 to the good. It was a tight affair in the second half but a first league goal for his new club from Ryan Withers completed a 5-2 away win for Corsham.

Another side who last season had been almost invincible at home, winning 11 of their 14 home league games and losing just once, but were not so good on their travels were Melksham Town Res who made the journey to Ludgershall Sports in the knowledge that Ludgershall was one of a number of grounds where they had come unstuck last season when they had lost to a solitary David Cotter strike. Like Corsham, Melksham will be happy with their opening afternoon’s work on their travels as three first half goals secured all three points in an opening day 3-0 win. On target for Melksham were  Jake Hutchings, Conner McKay and Dan Sibley. New signing from Pewsey Vale Harvey Flippance was man of the match on his league debut for Melksham, despite missing a penalty for the visitors.

Another new side making their debut in the league were Swindon based Stratton Juniors who played host to Marlborough Town at their Meadowcroft Ground. In difficult conditions a solitary first half strike from Marlborough’s Christopher Deane was all that separated the two sides as Marlborough left with all three points, getting their season off to a winning start for the first time since Season 2016-17, following a disciplined display. Stratton, like the other new side Frome Collegians, will look to get their first points on the board in midweek when they make the short trip to Purton.

All today’s results and the midweek fixtures for next week are shown below:
Premier Division League Results
Saturday 17th August 2019
Cricklade Town  5  Shrewton United  4
Frome Collegians 2  Corsham Town Res  5
Holt  v  Wroughton - postponed
Kintbury Rangers  10  Malmesbury Vics D 0
Ludgershall Sports  0  Melksham T Res.  3
Purton  9   Pewsey Vale Dev.  1
Stratton Juniors  0  Marlborough Town  1
Trowbridge Town  6   Royal W. Bassett D 1

Premier Division Midweek Fixtures
Tuesday 20th August 2019
Cricklade Town  v  Wroughton
Frome Collegians v Holt
Kintbury Rangers  v  Ludgershall Sports
Melksham Town Res.  v  Trowbridge Town
Pewsey Vale Dev.  v  Shrewton United
Purton  v  Stratton Juniors
Royal W. Bassett Dev.  v  Marlborough Town

Wednesday 21st August 2019
Corsham Town Res v Malmesbury Vics Dev.
Saturday 17 August 2019
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