Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Difficult Cold & Windy Day
Due to Storm Arwen

Nathaniel Bell whose powerful shot made sure of the points for RWBT Dev in their 2-0 win over Melksham Town Res

Storm Arwen caused the postponement of two of the scheduled games in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League and the five games that did go ahead were played in extremely difficult cold and windy conditions.

In the game at the Gerard Buxton Ground Melksham Town Reserves played the first half with the wind behind their backs but despite the ball spending much of the time in half of the pitch being defended by Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development few chances were created by the visitors in a poor half of football. The closest Melksham went to scoring was on ten minutes when Tom Arliss fired a free kick just over the bar. Despite being against the wind Royal Wootton Bassett Town also created a couple of decent chances Tyler Sheppard going close soon after the Arliss chance and Nathaniel Bell shooting just over on the half hour mark, but the teams turned round at half time with the game still looking for a goal. With the strong wind behind them in the second half the home side dominated possession but as with Melksham in the first half struggled to create any real chances in the opening half hour. The deadlock was finally broken when James Johnson was put through down the right-hand flank and whilst his cross eluded everyone in the box Nathaniel Bell retrieved it at the far post playing a ball into Dale Richards who controlled it and then smashed a powerful unstoppable half volley past Harry Pickering in the Melksham goal. At the other end Sam Dowell had a half chance to get Melksham back on level terms but he fired his shot well over. The points were finally made safe a couple of minutes from time, Nathaniel Bell firing in another unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net, this time from outside the box to make the final score 2-0 to Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. The win saw the home side move back into second place in the table, nine points behind Pewsey Vale but with three games in hand.

Melksham's Tom Arliss went close with this free kick in the first half and RWBT Dev's Josh Connolly heads just over.

When Stratton Juniors and Marlborough Town had met in midweek in the first week of the season Marlborough had run out comfortable 5- 1 winners but Stratton have been showing improvements in recent weeks and a much closer game was anticipated and so it proved. The rain overnight and snow in the morning had required work on the pitch to get it into a playable state and the efforts were rewarded with the game getting the go ahead. First half saw Stratton playing with the wind behind them but despite creating a number of good chances they were unable to take advantage of the wind and the teams went into the half time break with the game still looking for the opening goal. Having defended so well Marlborough had the wind behind them in the second half but despite some good possession football struggled to create any clear-cut chances. The game was ultimately decided 12 minutes from time, Stratton striker Moses Naisarani intercepting a back pass and rounding the keeper to put it away for what was to be the only goal of the game. That is now six for the season for Naisarani who is developing a useful striking partnership with Corey Cullen. For Stratton Juniors that is now four wins this season as they were rewarded for their efforts in getting the game on. The win also saw them move to within three points of Marlborough but with six games in hand.
Trowbridge Town have been scoring for fun in home games at Woodmarsh in recent weeks, their previous three home games having seen Trowbridge score 25 goals and it was probably the last place that Purton, who had shipped over 100 goals in their opening 15 league games, wanted to visit. The game very much went to form as Trowbridge smashed 11 unanswered goals to take their total for the season to 70 in their 18 league games to date. Leading scorer Scott Baker led the way smashing a double hat-trick as he moved onto 20 for the campaign, Mark Robinson hit four as he took his own tally for the season into double figures, with the final goal in the 11-0 win coming from George Bendle. The victory saw Trowbridge move to within one point of third placed Corsham Town Development ahead of next week’s game between the two sides at the Southbank Ground.

Scott Baker and Mark Robinson who scored 10 goals between them in Trowbridge Town's 11-0 win over Purton (pIctures courtesy of Gary Caldicutt)

Another side who has scored plenty of goals this season are Salisbury FC Development. When they played Ludgershall Sports earlier in the season they had won comfortably 10-0 and when they went 3-0 up in the return fixture just after half time, to also take their total goals tally to 70, they were looking good for another comfortable win. Will Waterson had set them on their way with the opener on 25 minutes and an 11th of the season from Layton Tulk saw the teams turn round at the break with Salisbury 2-0 to the good. Two minutes after the restart Jonny Timberley scored that third to put them 3-0 in front and the players obviously thought they had won the game already. However, credit to Ludgershall who continued to battle away and got themselves a foothold in the game on 65 minutes with a goal from Tony Young. Five minutes later they had doubled their score, Cameron Metcalfe scoring his fourth of the season to give the home side hope of getting something out of the game. That hope became reality 15 minutes from time when Luke Holden fired in an equaliser for his sixth of the season to make the final score 3-3. An amazing comeback and, not for the first time this season, an example of a team heavily beaten in the first fixture between two teams, turning things round in the return encounter. The draw saw both sides remain in the same position in the table as at the start of the day.

Salisbury FC Dev's Will Waterson (on the ball) who opened the scoring in the 3-3 draw with Ludgershall Sports

Last week had seen Frome Collegians suffer a heavy defeat in their local derby game against Trowbridge Town and Karl Freeman’s side were keen to make amends to their spectators for that defeat with a much-improved performance when Shrewton United were the visitors to the Old Showfield Ground. Frome had not beaten Shrewton in the league previously but had defeated them 3-0 in the group stages of last season’s Fountain Trophies Cup and were looking for a repeat of that result in the league. Shrewton had won last week at Ludgershall but arrived at Frome with just ten players and with manager Joe Sheldrake having to don the gloves in goal for his side. Despite the numerical disadvantage it started well with Robbie Mitchell putting them in front but two goals for the home side from free kicks saw Frome in front. Shrewton had the chance to get back on level terms from the penalty spot, but Jake Connor failed to convert the spot kick on the stroke of half time to see Frome lead 2-1 at the interval. Two further second half goals saw Frome take the three points which no doubt warmed their spectators on a bitterly cold afternoon at the Old Showfield Ground. On target for Frome were Ollie Brook, who bagged a brace, Lee Handford and James Hounsell. The win saw Frome move up two places in the table to 10th spot and with games in hand against the sides above them in the table will be hopeful of climbing higher in the coming weeks of the season.

James Hounsell (Frome Collegians) and Robbie Mitchell (Shrewton Utd) who scored for their respective sides in Frome's 4-1 win

Results

League Table & Top Scorers

Next Week's Fixtures

27 November 2021
Share by: