Wiltshire Senior League

Corsham Print

Wiltshire Senior League

Premier Division

Top Four All Win

League leaders Pewsey Vale were looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat away at Corsham Town Development when they travelled to the Red House to take on bottom of the table Purton. When the two sides met last month Pewsey were comfortable 10-0 winners and another big win was anticipated. However, Purton gave them an early shock as goals from Joe Miller and Melvin Tatah put Purton 2-1 up. However, it was all downhill from there as Pewsey scored seven more in the first half to lead 9-2 at the break. With Purton down to ten men due to injury there was no let up in the second half as Pewsey Vale scored five more unanswered goals to run out 14-2 winners and improve their goal difference in the process. James Guthrie led the way notching a double hat-trick, Harry Hoareau scored four and there was one apiece for Connor Marsden, Rory England, Jude Cawley and Craig Simmons. Purton have just four league games left after this week’s encounter and will look to regroup over the summer and come back stronger next season.

James Guthrie who hit six in Pewsey's 14-2 win

(picture Dane Pollard)

Four more also for Harry Hoareau in Pewsey's 14-2 win

(picture Dane Pollard)

Second in the table Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development kept on the heels of Pewsey Vale with another win, this time at the expense of Odd Down Reserves. However, as had been the case on the one and only previous visit of Odd Down Reserves to the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, it was a very close-run thing. The home side went in front as early as the eighth minute when a powerful shot from Matt Bennett came down off the crossbar and whilst Ryan Withers made sure by heading into the net it was confirmed that the ball had already crossed the line when it came down off the bar and was credited to Bennett. In a half of limited chances both Withers and Harry Walters had chances for home side but both put their shots wide of the goal. Three minutes before the break, Odd Down Reserves did have the ball in the net at the other end, but the referee’s assistant already had his flag up for offside before the shot was put away and it remained 1-0 at half time. The second half continued in a similar fashion with few, if any, clear cut chances being created until seven minutes from time when a foul by Jon Beeden in the box saw the visitors Odd Down awarded a penalty. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development keeper Simon Notman had saved a penalty in their recent win over Calne Town Reserves and once again manager Stephen Yeardley had his keeper to thank as he guessed correctly to save Charlie Saunders spot kick. The only real chance of any note in the closing stages came when a cross-come-shot from Matt Bennett from out wide came back off the crossbar, but this time it bounced away to safety. The home side had not been at their best but had done enough, just, to take the three points to remain six points behind Pewsey with three games in hand.

Royal W. Bassett Town Dev's two match winners Simon Notman & Matt Bennett

Action from Royal W. Bassett Town Dev's win over Odd Down Res

Third placed Trowbridge Town are the division’s top scorers and they travelled to Marlborough Town looking to stay in touch with the top two. Trowbridge had won eight of their previous nine games and their last three games had seen them score 28 goals without conceding at the other end. Those eight wins had included a 3-1 home success over Marlborough Town but since that game Marlborough had shown improved form and were unbeaten in their last three league games, drawing with both Melksham Town Reserves and Odd Down Reserves and last week beating Calne Town Reserves on their own patch. There was no repeat from Trowbridge of their prolific scoring form of recent weeks but player manager Jamie Jordan would have been pleased with yet another clean sheet and with Scott Baker scoring the only goal of the game from the penalty spot his side returned home with all three points. The goal came ten minutes into the second half after Jordan was brought down in the box and Baker put the spot kick away for his 35th goal of the season.

The division's leading scorer Scott Baker who scored the only goal of the game away at Marlborough Town

(picture Gary Coldicott)

Fourth placed Corsham Town Development travelled to Stratton Juniors buoyed by last week’s win over the league leaders Pewsey Vale and having won five of their previous six games. However, opponents Stratton were also on their best run of the season with back-to-back wins against Wroughton and Salisbury FC Dev. Corsham had won all three previous fixtures against Stratton and they maintained that 100% winning record with a 4-0 success at Meadowcroft. Adam Mitchell led the way with a hat-trick, taking his total for the season to sixteen and a seventh of the season from Lewis McCarron completed the scoring for the visitors. Corsham’s win meant that all of the top four were winners this weekend and it is as you were at the top end of the league table.

Adam Mitchell who scored a hat-trick in Corsham's 4-0 win at Stratton Juniors

(picture John Cuthbertson)

Shrewton United’s new management team opened with a comfortable 5-0 home win over Purton last week but faced a much stiffer test this weekend with a visit from Wroughton who sat just two points below them in the table with two games in hand. When they met at the Weir Field back in October Wroughton had run out 4-0 winners. The previous 15 league meetings between the sides had produced a winner each time, with Shrewton just edging it slightly with eight wins to Wroughton’s 7. That sequence of a positive result either way was finally ended as the two sides fought out a 0-0 draw to share the points on a day when the defences were on top. Shrewton remain in sixth spot, but the point for Wroughton saw them climb one place in the table to eighth spot, level on points with Melksham Town Reserves.

The scheduled fixture at Frome Collegians was postponed, as they once again were the innocent victims of a team not being able to raise a side, whilst a waterlogged pitch caused the postponement of the scheduled game between Salisbury FC Development and Melksham Town Reserves.