Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Its Now 20:20 For Pewsey, 
RWBT Dev Also Maintain 100% Record
League leaders Pewsey Vale had just got over the line in their last two games against Corsham Town Development and Odd Down Reserves, both games being won by a solitary goal. Like many teams at the moment, they have had a number of key players missing through injury or otherwise in most games this season and have benefited from having a big squad, helped by now having a reserve side. Today saw the return of their main man James Guthrie who has been missing in recent weeks for what looked a tricky visit to the InfiLED to play Melksham Town Reserves. The last manager to have defeated Pewsey in a competitive fixture had been Craig Kent when his then Cricklade side had defeated them 2-1 back in October last year. Now in charge at Melksham Kent was unable to repeat that achievement as two goals from the returning Guthrie secured all three points for the leaders in a 2-0 win. As a result of today’s victory over Melksham, Pewsey’s winning run now extends to 20 consecutive competitive games.

James Guthrie who scored both goals in Pewsey Vales 2-0 win at Melksham (picture courtesy of Dane Pollard)

Another side who were defending a 100% winning record this season were Stephen Yeardley’s Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. After an easy win in midweek, they were anticipating a very different game when they visited an inform Corsham Town Development side who are the only current side in the Premier Division to defeat them in the league last season. When Royal Wootton Bassett Town last visited the Southbank Ground at the beginning of December they were on a similar good run to this season having won eight of their opening nine fixtures and drawing the other. Corsham edged a close game 3-2 that day to inflict a first defeat of the season but there was to be no repeat of that this season as Royal Wootton Bassett Town put in what manager Yeardley described as his side’s best performance of the season so far to secure a 4-1 win. The goals were shared around with one apiece for Matt Bennett, who moved onto 12 for the season, Dale Richards, Tyler Sheppard and Ryan Withers, the latter scoring against his former club. Corsham’s reply was scored by Jamie Cunning with his third goal of the season.

Ryan Withers and Dale Richards were both on target for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Dev at Corsham

Salisbury FC Development and Calne Town Reserves was another fixture that caught the eye ahead of the game, with both sides having made good starts to the season. Calne started the day in third place in the table having won six of their opening eight fixtures, their only defeats coming at the hands of leaders Pewsey and Trowbridge Town. Salisbury meanwhile had won three of their opening four games, their only defeat being against Pewsey. The three victories had all been against sides at the bottom end of the table and the visit from Calne had all the hallmarks of a good test of their potential to secure a top five place in their first season in the league. The game did not disappoint. Layton Tulk on his return to the Salisbury side broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when centre half Tom Feest strolled out from the back and played a chip pass over the Calne defence for Tulk to run onto and finish in style. Calne stepped up their efforts and got back in the game in something of a fortuitous manner, a race for a mishit back pass between the Salisbury keeper and a Calne striker saw the keeper get their first only to hit the ball off the striker and it rebounded into the net. Calne then scored a second goal soon after to lead 2-1 at the break,  Kassa Anderson and Rhys Talmash the two Calne scorers. Calne had a number of chances in that first half to put the game beyond the home side but none were taken and it was a different story after the interval as the home side stepped up their game and the visitors were to rue some of those missed chances. Layton Tulk restored parity with his second of the game and Salisbury got what turned out to be the winning goal when substitutes Will Waterson combined to set up a chance for Waterson which was saved by the Calne keeper but the ball broke to McSorely who had anticipated the chance and he fired into an empty net to make it 3-2 to Salisbury. This was Salisbury's most impressive result of the season so far and the win lifted them up into eighth spot in the table, Calne remain in third place but lost ground on the top two.

Rhys Talmash who scored for Calne Town Res in his first appearance of the season for his new side

Shrewton United and Trowbridge Town had met at Woodmarsh three weeks ago and in an entertaining game had shared six goals and the points. As expected it was another close game at the Recreation Ground in the return. George Bendle put visitors Trowbridge ahead with his third goal of the season but it was the home debut of  Shrewton's Christian Boothe that was to turn the game around. He had scored two on his debut in midweek in the away game at Marlborough and he made his home debut coming on as a substitute after 50 minutes. He brought his side back on level terms with a stunning strike from 25 yards and then just as it looked like the two sides would share the points again he netted an injury time winner, beating four Trowbridge players before slotting the ball home for a fine individual goal to make the final score 2-1 to Shrewton. Despite the defeat Trowbridge stay in fifth place in the table whilst Shrewton climb to seventh, level on points with today’s opponents and Melksham Town Reserves but with an inferior goal difference to both.
Odd Down Reserves went close in midweek against Pewsey Vale and were hoping to bounce back with a win away against a Wroughton side with just one win to their name so far this season, but who have had to deal with a tough opening set of fixtures against the top sides. Odd Down got off to a great start going 2-0 up thanks to goals from Charlie Saunders and Jordan Reeves, but Scott Stone pulled one back for Wroughton before the half time break. A second half strike from Shane Hibbert brought Wroughton back on level terms and that was the end of the scoring as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece in what Odd Down manager James Riccio described afterwards as a very enjoyable game on social media.
Six of the sides in the bottom half of the table met in league games this weekend, whilst the other two met each other in the Wiltshire Senior Cup. Malmesbury Victoria Development travelled to Ludgershall to take on a Sports side who they defeated 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last season. They once again returned from Astor Crescent with all three points as they picked up their fourth win of the season. Experienced Jack Duckers led the way firing a hat-trick for the visitors, doubling his total for the season, with further goals from Ryan Collins, Joe Tranter and James Archer, Luke Holden with the Ludgershall goal.

Jack Duckers who scored a hat-trick in Malmesbury's 6-1 win at Ludgershall seen here when at Purton

Stratton Juniors and Devizes Town Reserves went into their game today with both having just the one win so far this season from their opening fixtures and both went into the game with a realistic expectation that they could register their second of the season. That honour went to Stratton Juniors as Devizes lost 3-1 on their first ever visit to Stratton. Two goals from Ryan Major and one for Moses Naisarani did the damage for Stratton.
Marlborough Town and Purton took a break from league action when they met in the First Round of the prestigious Wiltshire Senior Cup. When they met in the league recently Marlborough had won 5-0 and they once again got the better of Purton, scoring ten unanswered goals against the plucky visitors. Marlborough’s leading scorer Zac Symon led the way firing a double hat-trick to become the current leading scorer in the division, the other goals coming through Ben Crame, Ethan Muir, Dominic Terrett and a Kieran Maidment penalty. Purton kept going to the end and would have got on the score sheet but for the performance of stand in Marlborough keeper Jacob Clappison who kept them out and registered a clean sheet for his side.

Zac Syman who scored a double hat-trick for Marlborough today seen here in action in the earlier league game between the two sides

11 September 2021
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