Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Melksham Town Res are the new leaders
& Wroughton return to winning ways  

Aaron Maximen who scored twice in Wroughton's 4-0 win over Stratton Juniors

Football action in Wiltshire finally resumed after Lockdown 2, with five of the seven scheduled fixtures in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League going ahead despite the heavy overnight rain. After the days games there are now new leaders of the Premier Division tonight as Melksham Town Reserves went top with their eighth straight win, this after they had started the season with three defeats in their opening four games. Their latest success was a 5-1 home win over Devizes Town Reserves completing the league double over their opponents. Josh Brigham and Luke Ballinger both bagged a brace and George Bendle scored his sixth of the season as Melksham moved two points clear at the top. The consolation for Devizes was scored by leading scorer Nick Rideout who made it four in his last two games.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development missed out on going top of the table after going down away at Corsham Town Reserves. It had looked good for the visitors when they led 2-0 thanks to goals from Bailey Gallagher and Ryan Withers, the latter scoring against the club he recently left. However, goals on their season debuts for the Reserves from Gary Higdon and Mark Cooper and then a winner from Jamal Chevelleau with his third of the season gave Corsham their first points of the season at the Southbank Ground.

Wroughton remain in fourth place after a hard-fought win against Stratton Juniors who had made the short trip across Swindon. The sides had met three times last season and all three games had been close affairs and it was a similar story in the first half in the latest meeting. Wroughton created the early chances the first of note falling to Matt Bennett who headed just over from a cross on 11 minutes. Wroughton should then have taken the lead on 15 minutes when the ball fell to Aaron Maximen inside the six-yard box but his powerful shot was fired straight at keeper Harrison Painter who pulled off what was to the first of many excellent saves from the young keeper. Four minutes later Wroughton went close again when a clearance from the edge of the six-yard box rebounded back off a player on the edge of the box and rebounded onto the far post of the Stratton goal before being cleared.
 
Wroughton continued to have the better of things and the deadlock was finally broken just before the half-hour mark when a cross from the left from Ollie While following a skilful run found Jamie McLaughlin at the far post who had a simple tap in to make it 1-0.Wroughton continued to push for a second and went close in the 42nd minute when Tyler Wilkinson’s powerful shot was superbly turned away by Painter in the Stratton goal. A neat one two between Aaron Maximen and Tom Price on the edge of the box saw Maximen shoot just over. Deep into first half stoppage time Painter again denied the home side with another great save, this time from a Tom Dingle shot. This was still time for another chance with Tyler Wilkinson just heading over. Whilst most of the action had been around the Stratton box they looked dangerous on the break and Wroughton went into half-time knowing they still had a lot to do to secure the three points.
 
Wroughton came out for the second half and immediately continued to put pressure on the Stratton back line and were rewarded within the first five minutes of the restart when Aaron Maximen just beat keeper Painter to a cross to head in for 2-0 and his sixth of the season. Having made a point-blank save in the first half, the impressive Stratton keeper Painter pulled off another on 73 minutes, saving superbly to deny Matt Bennett. The game was effectively killed off after a third Wroughton goal through veteran Tom Dingle with claims for offside from the Stratton back line being ignored by the match officials. Shortly after the three nil lead became four when Aaron Maximen fired in from short range for his second of the game and seventh of the season. In the end a comfortable win for Wroughton who remain in fourth place but moved to within four points of both Pewsey and Royal Wootton Bassett Town with a game in hand. For Stratton Juniors, after a promising start to the season, that is now five games without a win, and it does not get any easier with the visit of new leaders Melksham Town Reserves next week.

Jamie McLaughlin and Tom Dingle who also scored in Wroughton's win over Stratton Juniors

Odd Down Reserves moved up three places in the table into seventh spot with a come from behind win against Frome Collegians on the 3G pitch at Frome. It was their fifth win on the road this season whilst oddly they have yet to win at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground. Frome led 2-0 at half time thanks to goals from Jake Wright, his 14th of the season, and Ross Knapton. However, the young hard working Odd Down side staged a comeback with two goals from Jacob Bird, taking him to five for the season, and one from Dan Taylor to secure the three points and making it honours even in the battle of the two Somerset based sides this season. Despite the defeat Frome Collegians remained in fifth spot.

Jacob Bird who scored twice for Odd Down Res in their come from behind win

At the other end of the table Trowbridge Town moved up two places in the table to 9th spot following a 4-1 away win at Ludgershall Sports. Josh Hard opened the scoring but the home side got back on level terms through Kiefer Roper. Jamie Hughes then restored Trowbridge’s lead before the break and they led 2-1 at the interval. Two unanswered second half goals from Nick Taylor and Tom Caldicutt secured the win as Trowbridge bounced back from their defeat against Pewsey Vale just before the Lockdown.

Jamie Hughes who was amongst the Trowbridge scorers at Ludgershall

The games at both Marlborough and Cricklade were both postponed due to unfit pitches.

Premier Division Results

Saturday 5th December 2020

Corsham Town Res 3 Royal W. Bassett T Dev 2

Frome Collegians 2 Odd Down Reserves 3

Ludgershall Sports 1 Trowbridge Town 4

Melksham Town Res 5 Devizes Town Res 1

Wroughton 4 Stratton Juniors 0

5 December 2020
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