Wiltshire Senior League

Corsham Print

Wiltshire Senior League

Premier Division

RWBT Dev Held As

Pewsey Extend Lead AT Top

Action from today's game between Purton and Wroughton

This week’s activity in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League got underway on Friday night under lights at the Gerard Buxton Ground when Malmesbury Victoria Development made the short journey along the B4042 to take on second in the table Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. Royal Wootton Bassett Town had won seven games in a row whilst opponents Malmesbury had won just one of their previous four games but had taken points off the league leaders Pewsey away from home earlier in the season. The first meeting between the teams at Malmesbury back in August saw the visitors Royal Wootton Bassett Town return with all three points following a 4-0 win. In the return game, just after the half hour mark Malmesbury had goalkeeper Archie Walsh sent off but with first team manager and experienced goalkeeper Ant Brown playing out on the pitch they were able to cover this set back, albeit they were now one-man light against their title challenging opponents. Despite the numerical disadvantage they went ahead three minutes after the dismissal, Joe Tranter smashing the ball home for his 16th of the season to make it 1-0 to Malmesbury and it remained that way at the break.

Joe Tranter who gave Malmesbury Victoria Development a 1-0 half time lead against RWBT

Royal Wootton Bassett Town were back on level terms three minutes into the second half, and it came courtesy of an own goal as the Malmesbury defence failed to deal with a ball into the box. Malmesbury went close to going back in front on 55 minutes, Jake Fortune seeing his shot come back off the cross bar. The home side had chances themselves but were unable to find a way past the stand-in keeper Brown. In the end it finished honours even meaning Malmesbury have now taken points off both the top two away from home and they climbed a place in the table as a result of the draw ahead of Saturday’s round of games. Malmesbury joint manager Troy Prentice commenting the day after the game said,

“I am very proud of the ten men, they were fantastic last night, strong, resilient and brave. I was very pleased with the performance.”

Royal Wootton Bassett Town remain second but have now dropped the same number of points as Pewsey but would now need to win all their games in hand to draw level.

With an acute shortage of match officials and with County Cup games on Saturday it was very helpful for the league to have one of the eight fixtures scheduled on the Friday night, as was the case when Melksham Town staged a Friday night game. There was a decent crowd of 72 at Royal Wootton Bassett on Friday and with Melksham also having close to 150 at their Friday night game they are set to do it again next week against Marlborough Town.

League leaders Pewsey Vale made the short journey to play Ludgershall Sports this afternoon. They started the game playing down the slope with the wind behind them and missed several early clear-cut chances. They eventually took the lead in an unconventional manner, James Guthrie scoring direct from a corner to make it 1-0. Captain Liam Edmondson then extended the lead firing in after a goalmouth scramble and the sides went into the break with Pewsey two goals to the good but against the wind second half. Ludgershall were back in the game within five minutes of the restart, Adam Campbell reducing the deficit as he netted for the second time this season. However, James Guthrie restored the two-goal advantage for Pewsey with his second of the game before making it 4-1 as he completed his second hat-trick of the season. Pewsey were then awarded a penalty late on, with 16-year-old debutant Jude Crawley given the responsibility for taking the spot kick. He put the penalty away for a debut goal to make the final score 5-1 as Pewsey opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the table. With five of Pewsey’s last nine games against sides in the bottom four of the table they are clearly in the driving seat to lift the title that was denied them last season by the intervention of Covid-19.

James Guthrie who hit a hat-trick in Pewsey's 5-1 win at Ludgershall (picture courtesy of Dane Pollard)

Third placed Corsham Town Development had what looked a tricky looking away fixture at Shrewton United. Whilst Shrewton have been consistently inconsistent this season, they had finally started to string a consecutive run of victories together and had won their last three ahead of the visit from Corsham. They have also been a tougher nut to crack at home, having won seven of their ten home games prior to today’s encounter at the Recreation Ground. Corsham Town Development were also in good form though and came into the match having also won their last three. It was the home side who went in front, leading scorer Charlie Utterson putting them 1-0 up on the half hour mark. It remained that way for the rest of the half, and it looked like it would be their day when Corsham were reduced to ten men. However, the numerical disadvantage seemed to spur Corsham on and they equalised 20 minutes from time and then went in front five minutes later, leading scorer Ben Wickens hitting his 21st of the season and winger Max Wyatt hitting his fifth of the campaign as Corsham turned things around to take the three points courtesy of a 2-1 win. The win saw Corsham move to within three points of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development, but they have played four more games than the side above them with the two set to meet in three weeks’ time.

Another goal for Ben Wickens in Corsham Town Devlopment's narrow win at Shrewton (Picture courtesy of John Cuthbertson)

Trowbridge Town started the day just a point below Corsham ahead of the visit this weekend from Salisbury FC Development. Trowbridge were the first side to come away from the Raymond McEnhill with all three points when they won 3-2 back in October and were looking to complete a league double. Trowbridge went into the game in great form having won five of their previous six games whilst Salisbury have hit a bad patch and went into the game with just one win in their previous six which had seen them slip down the table. Trowbridge went in front nine minutes in, and it was a special goal from leading scorer Scott Baker, the striker hitting an unstoppable left foot shot into the top corner of the net from 30 yards. Trowbridge played some impressive football during the first half but were unable to add to their tally by the end of the half. Salisbury came out for the second half and put the home side under a lot of pressure without being able to make the breakthrough they needed. Trowbridge gave themselves some breathing space when Baker scored his second of the game, his side foot shot going in off the post. This was to be the only real effort on goal that Trowbridge mustered in the second half but, whilst making it difficult for Trowbridge, the young Salisbury side were unable to unlock the Trowbridge defence and the home side ran out 2-0 winners to complete that league double and remain just that point behind Corsham and four points behind second placed Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Due to results elsewhere Salisbury dropped another couple of places in the table and now sit 11th.

Trowbridge Town's Scott Baker who scored both goals in their 2-0 win over Salisbury FC Dev (picture courtesy of Gary Caldicott)

After two consecutive defeats fifth place Calne Town Reserves were hoping to return to winning ways when they travelled to Odd Down Reserves for the first ever league meeting between the sides, although they did play each other in pre-season, Calne Town winning 2-1 that day. Whilst Calne have struggled in recent games, Odd Down in contrast have been on a good run, winning three of their previous four games going into today’s match. Calne had the better of things in the opening period but Odd Down grew into the match the longer it went on. The teams turned round with the game still without a goal but Odd Down continued their improvement as the second half progressed. They started to create more chances and captain Charlie Saunders was able to convert one of those chances with what turned out to be the only goal of the game. The goal from Saunders saw him become Odd Down’s joint top scorer this season as he took his total to 11 for the campaign. For Calne that is now three defeats on the spin ahead of next week’s trip to Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development whilst for Odd Down that is now four wins in five ahead of next week’s visit from Shrewton United.

There was an entertaining game at the Old Showfield Ground where Frome Collegians' visitors were Stratton Juniors who were making their first ever visit to Frome. The home side went in front early on courtesy of a looping header from George Holland, who got on the end of a long throw. However, Corey Cullen brought visitor Stratton back on level terms five minutes later firing into the bottom corner of the net with a shot from 25 yards. Frome Collegians restored their lead on 25 minutes the goal coming from a twice taken penalty. The first spot kick was missed by Theo Sing but the penalty was ordered to be retaken and James Hounsell made no mistake second time around. Stratton were back on level terms ten minutes before the break, Leonard Khan getting on the end of a cross from the right and powerfully heading in for 2-2. For Khan that was his first goal in six years. Stratton went in front for the first time when they were also awarded a penalty. Leading scorer Cullen stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake to give his side a 3-2 lead with his second of the game and his eighth goal of the campaign. There was to be no happy ending for visiting manager Neil Lee though. George Holland restored parity for the home side with his second of the game and then a winner deep into injury time from Joe Upshall saw Frome Collegians take all three points to maintain their best run of the season. That unbeaten run now extends to five games, four of which have been won. The win saw them move up two places in the table to eighth spot, level on points with the two teams immediately above them.

George Holland, who scored twice, and Joe Upshall who hit the winner in Frome Collegians' 4-3 win over Stratton Juniors

Wroughton’s six game unbeaten run was brought to an end last week at Trowbridge Town and they were looking to bounce back when they travelled to the Red House to play bottom side Purton. In the first fixture between the two sides last month Purton gave Wroughton a scare taking a two-goal lead, but five unanswered goals in reply for Wroughton ensured there was to be no shock in the end that afternoon. Wroughton avoided any such concerns in the return taking the lead as early as the 11th minute, centre back Luiz Hernandez firing in after Purton failed to clear a ball into the box. Wroughton then quickly doubled their lead three minutes later when Kris Redford hit a low shot which Purton keeper Robert Gray was unable to keep out. Wroughton extended their lead ten minutes before the break, Jonathan Peachey-Score heading in after a flick on from Jamie Rathbone. Moments late Sam Long should have increased the lead but blasted wide of the goal when clean through. He was not to be denied though, he finally had his goal five minutes from half time when he fired in a powerful shot from the right-hand side of the six-yard box giving keeper Gray no chance to make it 4-0 to Wroughton.

Wroughton continued to dominate play and went further in front five minutes into the second half, Peachey-Score slotting the ball past the Purton keeper for 5-0 and his second of the game. On the hour mark Peachey score got clear off the Purton back line with a clear sight of goal but failed to get a shot away, after laying the ball back to Long on the edge of the box the Wroughton centre forward hit a shot which rebounded off a Purton defender straight to Peachey-Score who this time made no mistake smashing it into the net for 6-0 and his hat-trick. Long added a seventh five minutes later, firing in form the edge of the 18-yard box for his second of the game. Shortly after it was eight and a hat-trick for Long, a mix up at the back allowing him to hit a shot into the bottom corner of the net. Credit to Purton who kept battling away with Bonsa Teshome involved in most of their better moments. However, there was to be one more goal. Shortly after pulling off a great save to deny Kris Redford, the Purton keeper was beaten by the same player, Long turning scorer to provider as he set up Redford for a simple tap-in. The win saw Wroughton move up to tenth place, level on points with Melksham Town Reserves.

Wroughton;s Sam Long and Jonathan Peachey-Score who both scored a hat-trick in Wroughton's 9-0 win at Purton

Devizes Town Reserves have seen an improvement in performances and results in recent weeks under their new manager and were hoping that their trip to Marlborough Town would yield more points. When the two sides met back in September it finished all square, the two sides drawing 1-1. After last week’s 1-0 defeat to Frome Collegians, Marlborough had lost eight games in a row ahead of the visit from Devizes. They were keen to end that run of results ahead of their daunting looking Wiltshire Senior Cup semi-final against Wessex League Division One leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins. However, it is Devizes who tonight are celebrating as a second clean sheet in their last three games and three goals at the other end saw them secure the three points. Sam Dodds led the way bagging a brace and Caleb Hollow brought his goal scoring form with the Under 18s into the Premier Division side, notching his fourth of the season for the Reserves. It could have been even better for Dodds but he blew the chance of a hat-trick, missing a penalty and it finished 3-0.