Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Top 3 all win
on wet & windy afternoon

Action from RWBT Dev v Wroughton, with Bailey Gallagher and Stephen Yeardley pictured scoring for the home side

League leaders Pewsey Vale have definitely returned to form after a couple of winless games at the back end of last month and the beginning of this month. On a wet and windy afternoon in Wiltshire, today’s visitors were Trowbridge Town who came into the game on the back of two wins the previous week and who had beaten Pewsey 6-0 in the corresponding fixture last season. However, there was to be no repeat of that result this time round as they fell behind on 14 minutes, James Guthrie getting on the end of a flick-on from a free kick to put leaders Pewsey 1-0 up with his 8th goal of the campaign. That was to be the only goal of the first half, but Pewsey extended their lead just before the hour mark, Craig Simmons scoring after good work down the left from veteran Ryan Banks. Pewsey could have had a third when Guthrie was fouled in the box but, after picking himself up, he saw his penalty well saved by the Trowbridge keeper. The defeat for Trowbridge saw them drop a couple of places in the table to 10th spot.
Melksham Town Reserves are the form team in the division and probably the last team that Ludgershall Sports needed to meet after a tough start to the season which had seen them lose all eight of their opening games. That run of defeats now extends to nine as Melksham, despite being without top scorer Rhys Talmash due to suspension, scored nine unanswered goals at the InfiLED.  George Bendle led the way firing a hat-trick, Dan Sibley bagged a brace, moving into double figures for the season in the process, and there were further goals from Josh Brigham, Emilio Menghini, Joseph Moloney and Aaron Masson. For Ludgershall it does not get any easier as next up are league leaders Pewsey Vale on Wednesday night, another tough looking game. That is now seven straight wins for Melksham who remained a point behind the leaders Pewsey Vale having played two more games.
Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development in third spot at the start of the day had Wroughton as their visitors to the Gerard Buxton Ground with the division’s only unbeaten record under serious threat with the potent Wroughton strike force looking to return to winning ways after last week’s heavy defeat at the hands of Frome Collegians. It was the visitors who went ahead ten minutes in when the ball fell to Matt Bennett on the edge of the six yard box after good work from Aaron Maximen and he made no mistake to notch his seventh of the season on the ground where he has made many appearances in the Hellenic League. The home side were back on level terms on 18 minutes when manager Stephen Yeardley, forced into playing due to injuries in the squad, got on the end of a Tony Joyce free kick to make it 1-1. A couple of minutes later Wroughton went close to restoring their lead with a shot from distance which was acrobatically turned over by Adam House in the home side’s goal. From the resulting corner the frame of the goal came to the home side’s rescue as Wroughton went close again to restoring the lead, but it remained all square at the break. With the wind behind their backs in the second half Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development started to create goal scoring opportunities of their own. Tyler Sheppard saw a header turned round for a corner by Wroughton keeper Jimmy Rae. The home side then went close to scoring from the resulting corner, Stephen Yeardley sliding in at the far post just failing to connect with the low ball played across the Wroughton six-yard box. As the clock ran down Wroughton came more into it again and went in search of a winner with Shane Hibbert, Aaron Maximen and Devan Bryan being a handful for the Royal Wootton Bassett Town defence when the ball was in and around the home side’s area. However, the best effort Wroughton were able to engineer was a Tom Price shot following a Matt Bennett corner that went just over the bar. There was to be a dramatic twist three minutes from time. Bailey Gallagher was fouled on the edge of the 18-yard box and after he got back to his feet he took the free kick himself, striking a superb low powerful shot past the wall into the bottom corner past Rae in the Wroughton goal. The home side saw out the closing minutes to secure the 2-1 win and maintain their unbeaten start to the season and retain that top three position, two points behind Melksham but with four games in hand. Despite a second consecutive defeat Wroughton remain in fourth place. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and  the highlights can be viewed using the link below or the link on the Your Sport Swindon page on the website which can be accessed from the main menu.

Action from RWBT Dev v Wroughton

Shrewton United, always one of the top scoring sides in the division, have started to re-find their goal scoring form. On their first ever visit to the Lew Hill Memorial Ground they inflicted the biggest defeat of the season on newcomers Odd Down Reserves, scoring five times and keeping a clean sheet for only the second time this season. Robbie Mitchell and George Plank both bagged a brace and there was a sixth goal of the season for Charlie Utterson. Shrewton United climbed one place in the table to 5th spot as a result of the win whilst Odd Down dropped one place to 11th ahead of Wednesday night’s visit from Frome Collegians.

Charlie Utterson who netted for the 6th time this season at Odd Down (picture courtesy of John Cuthbertson)

The two games between Cricklade Town and Frome Collegians last season were both high scoring affairs with each winning 4-3 on their opponents’ ground. Once again there were goals in the game between the two at the Leisure Centre with Cricklade Town bouncing back from two home defeats to win the latest high scoring game with Frome 3-2. Twice Cricklade led only for visitors Frome to get back on level terms both times but a late winner ensured there was no time for Frome to equalise for a third time. On target for Cricklade were Reece Gilliver, Elliott Corp and Tom McCulloch, with Frome’s Jake Wright again amongst the goals for the visitors giving him leadership of the leading goal scorers table tonight. Cricklade Town stayed 7th despite the win but moved level on points with today’s opponents who dropped a place to 6th, ahead of that trip to Odd Down this coming Wednesday.

Elliott Corp and Tom McCulloch who were both amongst the goals in Cricklade's 3-2 win over Frome Collegians

Malmesbury Victoria Development moved up into the top half of the table courtesy of a 4-2 home win over Marlborough Town who slipped to their fifth straight defeat. Two goals for Joe Tranter and one apiece from Harrison Archer and Connor Laidlaw did the damage for Malmesbury, Jamie Conway with both of the Marlborough Town goals. Next up for Malmesbury is the visit of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development, with Malmesbury the only side to take points off Wednesday night's opponents so far this season.
After last week’s heavy home defeat at the hands of Melksham Town Reserves, Purton returned to winning ways with a 6-0 away success at Devizes Town Reserves maintaining Purton’s unbeaten away record which has seen them pick up 10 of their 13 points on the road this season. There was a hat-trick for Joe English in this one with further goals from Aaron Dainton, Dale Bird and Danny Hale, the latter scoring his fourth of the season.

Aaron Dainton who scored in Purton's 6-0 away win at Devizes Town Reserves

After a tough start to the season it looks like Corsham Town Reserves are at last returning to the form that had seen them lead the Premier Division at the time Covid-19 brought a premature end to Season 2019-20. Goals from Adam Mitchell, his first for his new club following his transfer from Trowbridge Town, Jamie Cunning and Adam Shipman securing the 3-0 away win at Stratton Juniors.

Adam Miitchell who scored his first for new club Corsham Town Res after transferring from Trowbridge T

Premier Division Results

Saturday 24 October

Cricklade Town 3 Frome Collegians 2

Devizes Town Res 0 Purton 6

Malmesbury Vics Dev 4 Marlborough T 2

Melksham T Res 9 Ludgershall Sports 0

Odd Down Res 0 Shrewton Utd 5

Pewsey Vale 2 Trowbridge Town 0

Royal W. Bassett T Dev 2 Wroughton 1

Stratton Juniors 0 Corsham Town Res 3

24 October 2020
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