Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Ludgershall Sports make the headlines
with first win of the season 

Ludgershall Sports picked up their first win of the season with an impressive 2-1 success over Shrewton Utd

Ludgershall Sports have had a tough start to the season which had seen them lose all ten of their opening league games ahead of the visit of an in-form Shrewton United side who had lost just once in their previous six games. Ludgershall made a couple of new signings in the week, with Jack Cracknell and Cameron Metcalfe joining the club, and both made an immediate impact on their debuts against Shrewton. Cracknell put Ludgershall ahead with a headed goal in the first half and it remained 1-0 at the break, Craig Lewis wasting a chance to equalise for the visitors when he missed a penalty on 35 minutes. After the restart, Metcalfe then extended the lead for Ludgershall from the penalty spot after Shrewton keeper Dave Cardus had committed a foul in the box. Debutant Metcalfe made no mistake with his spot kick to give Ludgershall a 2-0 lead. The home side then had chances to extend the lead against an out-of-sorts Shrewton side, but they were unable to add to their tally. Robbie Mitchell pulled one back for Shrewton fifteen minutes from time to give the visitors hope of getting something out of the game. Whilst the visitors put the home side under a lot of pressure as they went in search of the equaliser, despite a few nervous moments, Ludgershall’s defence held out to secure an impressive win and their first points of the season. The win saw Ludgershall move level on points with both Devizes Town Reserves and Marlborough Town but they remain bottom on goal difference, whilst Shrewton slipped down a couple of places to eighth spot.
League leaders Melksham Town Reserves went into their game against Stratton Juniors on the back of a nine-game unbeaten run which had included eight victories before the midweek draw with Corsham Town Reserves. That unbeaten run now extends to ten games after a 4-2 away win in Swindon against Stratton Juniors. Both George Bendle and Josh Brigham have been in goal scoring form this season and they both netted again taking their respective totals for the season to seven and five. Further goals from Joseph Moloney and Matthew Mead ,both scoring their second goals of the campaign ensured the win as Melksham became the first team this season to reach the halfway stage with their fixtures. The only blemish for Melksham on yet another good afternoon was that Nick Chandler saw red on a day of sendings off across the division. Stratton Juniors two goals were scored by Chris Price, with a header, and Alex Hiscock with a tap in from close range.
Second in the table Pewsey Vale remained level on points with Melksham at the top of the table after a 3-0 derby day win away at Marlborough Town Reserves as they completed a league double over their neighbours. On target for Pewsey were Harry Hoareau with his sixth of the season, Ryan Thomas who scored for the fourth time this campaign and a first of the season from veteran Ryan Banks.

Ryan Banks and Ryan Thomas who both scored in Pewsey's win at Marlborough Town

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development started the day in third spot ahead of the visit of Cricklade Town. When the two sides had met at the Cricklade Leisure Centre back in October matters were decided by a solitary Tyler Sheppard goal. In the return the home side went ahead in only the second minute when Ryan Withers scored for second week running after his recent transfer from Corsham Town Reserves. However, they suffered a set-back three minutes later when youngster Michael Gilder was sent off leaving them to play the remaining 85 minutes with ten men. Cricklade’s leading scorer Will Backhouse pulled the visitors level with his sixth of the season. George Lance then restored the lead for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development from the penalty spot just before the hour mark, but Tom Hoskins levelled things up with his first of the season to make it 2-2. With Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development failing to take the chances that came their way to regain the lead and just as it looked like the points would be shared, Jason Tatum scored a third for Cricklade to give them all three points and inflict the second consecutive 3-2 defeat on the home side and avenge that October defeat. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development remain in third place but lose ground on the top two, whilst Cricklade moved up a place in the table to seventh spot as a result of the win.

Will Backhouse, Tom Hoskins and Jason Tatum who were all on target in Cricklade Town's 3-2 win at Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development

Corsham Town Reserves have started to find last season's form and were unbeaten in four ahead of the visit of Malmesbury Victoria Development. The fixture historically has not been a happy one for Malmesbury, who had won just one of the last eight meetings between the sides prior to today, although it had been a close affair when they met earlier in the season, Corsham edging that one 3-2. Malmesbury’s tough run of results in the fixture continued at the Southbank Ground this afternoon as they fell to a 4-1 defeat. Ben Wickens put Corsham ahead with his fourth of the season before a free-kick from Daniel King extended the lead to make it 2-0 at the break. Wickens scored his second of the game to make it 3-0 and take him to five for the season before Adam Mitchell added a fourth for the home side, his second since joining Corsham from Trowbridge Town. Malmesbury scored a late consolation goal, Joe Tranter with his fifth goal of the season to make the final score 4-1 to Corsham whose run now extends to five games. Corsham climbed two places in the table as a result of the win, including moving above today’s opponents..

Action from today's game between Corsham Town Res and Malmesbury Victoria Dev (pictures courtesy of John Cuthbertson)

Wroughton made the short trip to Purton knowing they were in for a tough game against a side they had only beaten once in six league meetings since Purton had returned to the Wiltshire Senior League from the Hellenic. Both last season’s league encounters had ended in draws and another close game was expected. However, an impressive first half performance from Wroughton saw them lead 2-0 at the break. Ollie While set them on their way with an early goal which deflected over the Purton keeper. Tyler Wilkinson then extended the lead when he won the ball in midfield and advanced and hit a powerful low shot into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0. The second half saw Wroughton continue to push for more goals and Aaron Maximen extended the lead with his eighth of the season with a shot from just outside the box into the far corner of the net after a one-two with Tom Dingle. Maximen thought he had scored a fourth but the goal was disallowed as the linesman flagged for an infringement. Purton stepped up the pressure on the Wroughton goal and pulled one back late on when Danny Hale got on the end of a Josh Morse low cross but it was too little too late as Wroughton ran out 3-1 winners.
Ahead of the visit of Devizes Town Reserves, Odd Down Reserves had yet to taste victory at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground, with 15 of the 16 points they had accumulated having come on the road. They finally tasted victory on home soil with a hard-fought win against Devizes Town Reserves this afternoon, the only goal of the game coming from youngster Tom Ellis-Ricketts with his second of the season. The win saw Odd Down climb one place in the table to sixth spot.
On a day of local derbies, there was another one at Trowbridge Town where Frome Collegians were the visitors to Woodmarsh. The two games between the sides last season had seen Trowbridge fail to defeat their near neighbours and Frome maintained that unbeaten record, also retaining local bragging rights with another impressive performance. First half goals from Lee Handford and Max Pollock put Frome in command but when James Hounsell was sent-off for the visitors 20 minutes from time Trowbridge sensed a chance to get back into the game. However, a disciplined defensive performance by Frome in the closing stages ensured they held out to take all three points with a 2-0 win that saw them stay in touch with the top four.

Premier Division Results

Saturday 12th December 2020

Corsham T. Res 4 Malmesbury Vics D 1

Ludgershall Sports 2 Shrewton Utd 1

Marlborough Town 0 Pewsey Vale 3

Odd Down Res 1 Devizes Town Res 0

Purton 1 Wroughton 3

Royal W.B. Town Dev 2 Cricklade Town 3

Stratton Juniors 2 Melksham Town Res 4

Trowbridge Town 0 Frome Collegians 2

12 December 2020
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