Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Pewsey Vale's Winning League Run Ended
Royal W. Bassett Town Dev Go Top

Action from today's game between Royal Wootton Bassett Town Dev and Salisbury FC Dev

All good winning runs in the league have to come to an end sometime and for Pewsey Vale today was that day. Having won 20 consecutive competitive games their overall winning streak had been brought to an end 11 days ago in the Wiltshire Senior Cup by Malmesbury Victoria. Today they again went down to a Malmesbury Victoria side, this time it was Malmesbury’s Development side who ended Pewsey’s impressive run of victories in league games that had stood at 16 games stretching back to October last year ahead of today’s game. After nine straight wins in the league this season Pewsey went into today’s games knowing that Malmesbury were one of two sides to take points off them last season, coming away from the Recreation Ground with a point on their last visit after it had finished 1-1. Today they did even better, this despite falling behind to a James Guthrie goal. Kyle Witt pulled one back for the visitors after good work from Jack Duckers to make it 1-1 at the break. The second half belonged to Malmesbury as an out-of-sorts Pewsey Vale found themselves 5-1 down. Jack Humphreys made it 2-1, an eighth of the season from Joe Tranter extended the visitors lead before two more from Kyle Witt to complete his hat-trick made sure of the three points for the visitors. A second for Pewsey from Harry Hoareau, who joined Guthrie on 12 goals for the season, was scant consolation for a Pewsey side who were deservedly beaten on the day by a much-improved Malmesbury side who have now won five of their last six games. The win saw Malmesbury move up to sixth place in the table with games in hand over all the sides above them. 

Kyle Witt who fired a hat-trick and Joe Tranter who netted his 8th of the season in Malmesbury Vics Dev's impressive 5-2 win at Pewsey (pictures courtesy of Malmesbury Vics)

Second in the table Royal Wootton Bassett Town had lost their 100% winning record in midweek but remained unbeaten after coming back from 2-1 down to share the points with Calne Town Reserves on Tuesday night. They had what looked another tough looking fixture this afternoon when they entertained an in-form Salisbury FC Development side at the Gerard Buxton Ground, and it proved to be just that. Whilst the visitors had a lot of possession in the opening half hour it was the home side who created the better early chances. Ryan Withers should have done better with a chance on 13 minutes when he got behind the defence, but his weak shot came to nothing and four minutes later, the same player cutting in from the left curled a shot just wide of the post. On the half hour mark Khedive McIntosh, again cutting in from the left, should also have done better for the home side but his shot was easily saved by Salisbury keeper Dan McCarthy. However, it was visitors Salisbury who got their noses in front when a shot from Will Waterson was pushed onto the bar by home keeper Simon Notman but the ball fell to Layton Tulk who fired in for his fourth of the season. Just as it looked like Salisbury would go into the break one goal to the good, Matt Bennett chased down the Salisbury defence as they played out from the back, winning the ball and slipping it to Gio Wrona who returned the compliment to put Bennett in the clear with a defence splitting pass that the division’s leading scorer made no mistake with to make it 1-1. There was still time for a good chance at both ends, McIntosh forcing Salisbury keeper McCarthy into a good save, Salisbury then going straight up the other end and Ed Timberley seeing his shot go just wide of the post. 

Second half Royal Wootton Bassett stepped up their game and were finding the ball over the top was creating problems for the Salisbury back line. From one such move Nick Mason found himself one-on-one with the keeper but McCarthy bravely dived at his feet and cleared the danger. The home side Bassett went in front for the first time in the game when another long ball over the top found substitute Brett Fairclough, who recently transferred from Calne Town. Fairclough, finding himself clear of the defence, unselfishly put the ball across for Bennett to finish for his 15th goal of the season. Fairclough was certainly making an impact and from another cross, Khedive McIntosh spurned an open goal and it remained 2-1. There was an even worse miss two minutes later when Bennett had what looked his easiest chance of the game to complete a hat-trick but somehow managed to place his header against the crossbar with the whole goal wide open. Both sides pushed for another goal but there was to be no more scoring as it ended 2-1 in what had been an even contest between two good sides. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development are now the only unbeaten side in the division and moved top of the league as a result of Pewsey’s defeat. Salisbury dropped a place to eighth spot ahead of Wednesday night’s trip to Melksham Town Reserves.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and Salisbury FC Development ahead of today's game at the Gerard Buxton Ground

Fourth in the table Corsham Town Development were looking to close the gap to Calne Town Reserves, who were without a game, when they made the journey to Elcot Lane to play a Marlborough Town side who had lost heavily in the week at Salisbury. Corsham had beaten Salisbury last Saturday and made it two wins on the bounce as they secured a comfortable 5-0 win on the road. There were two more for leading scorer Ben Wickens who moved onto 14 for the season, Adam Mitchell found the net for the third game running to take his personal tally for the season to seven, and there were further goals from Will Stead and a first of the season from Ed McCormack. The win saw Corsham move to within three points of third place Calne Town Reserves. 

Ben Wickens who added two more to his total and Adam Mitchell who also scored in Corsham's 5-0 win at Marlborough (pictures courtesy of John Cuthbertson)

Shrewton United have started to find form after an inconsistent start to the season and had won their last three league meetings ahead of their trip into Swindon to play Stratton Juniors. That winning run has now been extended to four after an impressive showing saw Shrewton win 9-0 on a day when their Development side won by a similar score in the Trowbridge & District League. Jake Watson led the way scoring a hat-trick, his first goals of the season, Craig Lewis bagged a brace and there were further goals for Ben Jenks, Charlie Utterson, Rob Mitchell and a first of the season from Jack Rayfield.
Trowbridge Town and Odd Down Reserves had met just ten days ago at Odd Down and in a close contest that day Trowbridge edged it by the odd goal in five. Both sides had won in their last outings, Odd Down winning 4-1 in midweek against Devizes Town Reserves, whilst last Saturday Trowbridge had knocked Step 6 side Warminster Town out of the Wiltshire Senior Cup. The return league fixture between the two sides was expected to be another close game and so it proved as the two sides shared four goals and the points. On target for home side Trowbridge were Josh Howlett and George Bendle, Brad Evans with a powerful shot and an individual goal from Harvey Kendrick replying for visitors Odd Down. Odd Down were forced to play the last half hour with just ten men after a sending off but Odd Down held out to ensure the points were shared. Odd Down are becoming the league’s draw specialists this season, as that is now their fourth draw in 11 outings.

The final fixture of the weekend was at the Weir Field where Wroughton were seeking their second win of the season against a struggling Ludgershall Sports side who are still in search of their first points of the season. Things did not start too well for the home side as they saw themselves trailing 2-0 to goals from Stuart Evans and Cameron Metcalfe but two goals from Josh Barnfield plus further goals from Kyle Moulden and Chris Flanagan saw Wroughton claim the three points. Wroughton moved above Stratton Juniors in the table as a result of their win.

25 September 2021
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