Wiltshire Senior League

Corsham Print

Wiltshire Senior League

Premier Division

Saturday Sees A Day

Of Home Wins

A historic moment as brother and sister Alun and Rhiannon Stevens both act as referee assistants in the same game in the Trowbridge Town v Ludgershall Sports fixture (picture courtesy of Martin Pearce)

This weekend’s Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League action once again featured a Friday night game under lights with Melksham Town Reserves entertaining Marlborough Town. Melksham were hoping that once again the switch of the game to the Friday night resulted in another big attendance and they were not disappointed as once again a three-figure crowd (112) was present. Craig Kent’s Melksham Town had hit form in recent weeks and had won their previous four games ahead of Marlborough’s visit. In contrast Marlborough came into the game on the back of nine straight defeats and were hoping for a confidence building performance ahead of next week’s daunting Wiltshire Senior Cup semi-final against Wessex League Division One leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins. Marlborough took hope from the fact they had taken a point from this season’s first encounter with Melksham, the two sides sharing four goals and the points at Elcot Lane. In the return game on Friday night Lenny Gale put Melksham Town ahead with a cool slotted finish after Marlborough had given away possession in their own box. They did not hold the lead for long though as a 30-yard shot on the volley brought Marlborough level shortly after. Marlborough then went in front thanks to an error from the Melksham keeper who allowed an innocuous ball into the box to slip through his hands and into the net for 2-1. The two Marlborough goals coming from Tom Etheridge and Rob Harland. Second half Melksham got themselves back on level terms, Tom Mack heading in at the far post for 2-2. Melksham then pushed hard for the winner, twice hitting the post, and seeing the ball cleared off the goal line from a succession of goalmouth scrambles but the Marlborough defence survived to end that run of defeats. Ahead of Saturday’s games, Melksham climbed a couple of places in the table to seventh as a result of the draw but by the end of the weekend they sat eighth, one of six teams on 37 points. For Marlborough they would have been pleased with their night’s efforts, with a first point in a while ahead of that cup game.

It was top versus bottom when Frank Hunt took his Purton side to Pewsey Vale for a daunting looking fixture against the league leaders. Purton came into the game on the back of 13 straight defeats whilst in contrast Pewsey were unbeaten in 13, 11 of which have been won. The game went to form with Pewsey hitting double figures for the first time this season as they ran out 10-0 winners. The goals were shared around the team with Conor Marsden leading the way with a hat-trick, youngster Jude Cawley was also on target for the second week running, bagging a brace, with Liam Edmondson, Ryan Banks, Harvey Tooth, Zak Messenger and Lee Himsworth all scoring one goal apiece. Purton kept going to the end and, whilst a heavy defeat, it was not their worst of the season and they will hope to get a result next week against fellow strugglers Ludgershall Sports.

Connor Marsden who hit a hat-trick in Pewsey's 10-0 win over Purton

Ludgershall Sports themselves were also on the end of another heavy defeat away at Trowbridge Town. The game at Woodmarsh saw brother and sister Alun Stevens and Rhiannon Stevens both acting as assistant referees, a first we believe in the history of the league. They witnessed a rampant Trowbridge side smash 12 unanswered goals which saw them climb above Corsham Town Development into third place in the table. Leading scorer Scott Baker led the way, hitting a hat-trick, with fellow strike partner Mark Robinson also getting three. Player manager Jamie Jordan and Jordan Pinder both scored twice, with Owen Pearce and George Walker-Wiltshire getting the other goals. For Trowbridge Town that is now six wins in their last seven games, and they are now the leading scorers in the division, just five short of a century of goals for the season. Baker’s hat-trick also saw him become joint top scorer in the division as he took his tally for the season to 29.

Player Manager Jamie Jordan on the ball in Trowbridge Town's big win over Ludgershall and Scott Baker & Mark Robinson celebrate one of their goals (pictures courtesy of Martin Pearce)

Calne Town Reserves made several changes to their side after losing their third straight game at Odd Down Reserves last week, but the changes did not have the desired result as ill discipline saw them fall to defeat away at the Gerard Buxton Ground against second in the table Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. In a tight first half neither side was able to create any clear-cut chances but Calne, who had played with the strong wind behind them in the first half, did see their goalkeeper Chris Iddon sent to the sin-bin a couple of minutes before half time. Whilst they survived both the closing minutes of the first half and the early minutes of the second half with the numerical disadvantage, further ill-discipline in the second half would cost them dearly. Early in the half they were reduced to ten men when Oscar Webster was dismissed. With their keeper returning to the pitch the ten men of Calne were then given a golden chance to go in front when Josh Connolly fouled Jack Coward in the box and the visitors were awarded a penalty. Jack Baker stepped up and hit his spot kick to home keeper Simon Notman’s left, but the keeper guessed correctly and pulled off a great save and it remained goalless. Josh Connolly then went from villain to hero when he got on the end of a Sam Ockwell free kick to put his side 1-0 up, his header just going over the line. Further disputing of the referee’s decisions saw another Calne player make his way to the sin bin as they were reduced to nine men for a period and this time the home side made the visitors pay for their indiscretions. Leading scorer Matt Bennett dispossessed a Calne defender on the edge of his own box and fired in an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net to make it 2-0. Soon after two became three as Bennett volleyed in from the edge of the six-yard box from a cross from Dale Richards and the game was put beyond Calne as they were left to rue their ill-discipline. The home side created a number of further chances, but none were taken, and it finished 3-0. The win ensure Royal Wootton Bassett Town remained nine points behind the leaders with three games in hand ahead of next week's big top of the table clash between the two sides.

Player Simon Notman whose penalty save was a key moment in today's game & Josh Connolly attacking the ball, his goal in the second half set his side on their way to a 3-0 win

Salisbury FC Development, after a great start to the season, had been on something of a bad run of late, losing their previous three games ahead of the visit from a Devizes Town Reserves side that had recorded an excellent 3-0 away win at Marlborough Town the previous week. Salisbury bounced back in style, first half goals from Layton Tulk and Will Waterson put them 2-0 ahead at the break and a storming second half saw them complete a 7-0 success. Tulk hit a second half hat-trick, his four goals in the game taking his tally for the season to 16, Waterson scored a second and a second of the season from Aidan Savage completed the scoring. Both Tulk and Waterson’s final goals were spectacular efforts. Remarkably the win for Salisbury saw them climb five places in the table to sixth spot as they became another of the six clubs on 37 points, and they head that group by reason of their superior goal difference.

Odd Down Reserves went into their home fixture with Shrewton United in their best form of the season having won four of their previous five games. When the two sides met in December at Shrewton it was the home side who finished comfortable 4-1 winners and Shrewton manager Joe Sheldrake was hoping his side would return to winning ways after last week’s narrow defeat at Corsham. However, it was to be back-to-back defeats as they fell to a 2-0 loss. Both Odd Down goals were scored by youngster Tom Ellis-Ricketts who took his total for the season to seven. For Odd Down it is now three straight wins and three clean sheets in those games and the win saw them move up three places and above Shrewton on goal difference, with both amongst that group of six sides on 37 points.

The final game played on Saturday was at Meadowcroft where Wroughton had made the short journey across Swindon looking to maintain their excellent record against Stratton Juniors. That sequence of results had seen them win three and draw one of their four previous league meetings, as well as knocking Stratton out of the Wiltshire Senior Cup in two of the seasons since Stratton returned to the league. However, on a day which saw all the home sides win in the division, Stratton Juniors secured a narrow 1-0 win, this despite playing the last half hour with just ten men in recording their first victory over Wroughton. The winning goal came early on, Alex Hiscock getting the goal for the home side with his first of the season. The victory ended a run of five defeats for Neil Lee’s side and saw them move up a place above Marlborough Town in the league table. Wroughton fell back down to 12th spot but are just a point behind those six sides on 37 points.

The game between Frome Collegians and Malmesbury Victoria Development was called off due to covid concerns in the Malmesbury Vics squad. Hopefully all of the impacted players will be make a full and speedy recovery. The postponement meant both sides are in the group of six that are on 37 points in that congested middle of the table.