Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
 Trowbridge March On &
Open Up Five Point Lead

Action from Royal Wootton Bassett Town's 4-2 win over Melksham Town Res

This weekend’s fixtures in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League were once again overshadowed by the sad passing of League Fixtures Secretary Phil Cook on Tuesday after a short illness. Games played today all held a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to a league officer who had been in-post for over 45 years. The thoughts of all involved in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League continue to be with Phil’s wife Jose and family at this sad time.

This week’s action involving Premier Division sides commenced on Tuesday night when Devizes Town were in action in the prestigious Wiltshire FA Senior County Cup looking  to join Wroughton in the semi-final draw. However, a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Step 6 side Downton from the Wessex League saw Devizes exit the competition, Kassa Anderson with the Devizes goal. Joining Wroughton and Downton in the semi-final draw will be Warminster Town who defeated Malmesbury Victoria 3-1, with the final side in the last four set to come from the winner of the Amesbury and Calne Town tie which was postponed this week.
Devizes were hoping to keep the pressure up on leaders Trowbridge Town this weekend but unfortunately saw their game postponed with scheduled opponents Salisbury Development unable to raise a side. With Devizes Town seeing their game postponed, Trowbridge Town had the chance to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table. They would have traveled to Swindon to take on Stratton Juniors in confident mood having gone unbeaten in their 14 league games prior to today’s encounter, having won 13 of them, with their hosts having won just three games so far this season and having lost their last three. However, it was not plain sailing for the league leaders who were made to work hard for the three points by Stratton. Goals from George Bendle and Ben Wickens gave Trowbridge a good start, but Stratton had pulled one back by half time through leading scorer Corey Cullen with his seventh goal of the season. Trowbridge restored their two-goal advantage with a second of the game and 21st of the season from Wickens, a ball over the top seeing him get behind the Stratton defence and beat the home keeper to make it 3-1. That was to be the end of the scoring as Trowbridge secured all three points to open up that five-point lead over their nearest rivals.

Minute's silence held as mark of respect for Phil Cook before Stratton Juniors v Trowbridge (picture courtesy of Gary Caldicott)

Third placed Kintbury Rangers were in County Cup action in the Second Round of the Berks & Bucks Charles Twelftree Trophy and are in the hat for the Third Round draw after a narrow 2-1 win away at Frontline, the Premier Division league leaders in the East Berkshire League. Kintbury’s goals in their 2-1 win coming through Harry Bailey, who scored for the third consecutive game, and an own goal.

Wroughton started the day in fourth place in the table and were scheduled to play in the Fountain Trophies Cup against Pewsey Vale Development in a Second Round game. However, disappointingly Pewsey Vale Development became the second side from Division One to not field a side in the competition this season, so Wroughton were left kicking their heels and then saw themselves drop a couple of places in the league table come the end of the afternoon due to results involving the sides close to them in the table.
One of the sides to move above them were Pewsey Vale who avenged their recent narrow 1-0 defeat against Odd Down (Bath) Development last month. An early goal from new signing Christian Booth on his league debut following his transfer from Shrewton United set them on their  way and a second from Booth plus a sixth of the season from Andy Rossiter saw them run out 3-1 winners and climb to fourth place in the table.

Former Shrewton United player Christian Booth who scored twice on his league debut for Pewsey Vale

The other team to move above Wroughton in the table are Blunsdon who made it five games unbeaten with a 4-1 home win over Malmesbury Victoria Development. Eliot Wheatley led the way bagging a brace to take his total for the season to 12, the first coming from the penalty spot to give his side a 1-0 lead, with Nick Craft and Wes Britten also on the score sheet for Blunsdon.  Malmesbury created plenty of chances of their own but their only goal of the game came in the first half through Joe Tranter from the penalty spot to make the score 2-1 at the break. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and the highlights from the game can be viewed by clicking on the link below.
Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development started the day in seventh place and were looking to make it ten games unbeaten under new manager Mark Simpkins when they entertained the side currently bottom of the table, Melksham Town Reserves. Melksham have also had a change of manager this week with Craig Kent having departed last weekend to be replaced by former Corsham Town and Malmesbury Victoria manager Justin Flowers who has brought some of his former Corsham players to Melksham to strengthen the side. In an entertaining and sporting contest, that saw referee Andy Meaden not needing to use any of his cards, it was Melksham who took the lead on 14 minutes through Matt Caslin. However, it did not take long for the home side to get back on level terms, Charlie McCrae scoring within minutes of the Melksham opener. It remained even throughout the rest of the half and the teams turned round with the game level at 1-1. The home side went in front for the first time on 53 minutes, leading scorer Kevin Lartey setting up Finley Smith whose powerful shot from the edge of the box beat Melksham keeper Harry Pickering. Smith then doubled the home sides’ advantage on 65 minutes, smashing in on the half volley after a good team move down the right which saw Harry Walters clear of the defence and teeing up Smith for his strike. Melksham continued to look to get back in the game and reduced the deficit six minutes from time when Nick Chandler fired in from the edge of the 18-yard box. However, any hope of getting anything out of the game was extinguished within a minute when Malcolm Cook received a throw-in on the left-hand side of the area and turned to smash a shot into the top right-hand corner of the net giving Pickering no chance to make the final score 4-2 to Royal Wootton Bassett Town who remained in seventh spot and whose unbeaten run now stretches into double figures.

Action from Royal Wootton Bassett Town's 4-2 win over Melksham Town Res

After playing and losing to the the two leading sides in consecutive games Calne Town Reserves were looking for a confidence boosting return to winning ways when they traveled to Shrewton United. When the two sides had met earlier in the season, they had served up an entertaining nine-goal game that Shrewton had edged by the odd goal. It was not to be so close in the return game as Calne Town Reserves avenged that earlier defeat with a 5-0 away win. Two early goals set them on their way and whilst Shrewton created plenty of chances they were unable to find the net. Their best chance came after Calne had scored two more to make it 4-0, Shrewton being awarded a penalty but unfortunately for them it was missed. Calne added a further goal as Shrewton’s defensive woes this season continued, and they have now conceded more goals than any other side in the division. Joe Williamson led the way for Calne Town Reserves helping himself to a hat-trick and there were further goals from Kian Fulford and Edward Summers as Calne moved up to eighth spot in the table.
Marlborough Town have been showing signs of improvement under the new manager Malcolm Ford and they secured their second win of the season with a narrow 2-1 success over Frome Collegians. Two first half goals from Jake Farrell put Marlborough in the ascendancy and whilst Frome pulled one back in the second half through Barry Sandquest there was to be no equaliser for Frome who have now lost three of their last four games.
There was a full complement of fixtures in Division One with two close games and one which was very much one-sided. The first of the two close games saw league leaders Ludgershall Sports up against Kintbury Rangers Development for the third time this season with Kintbury looking for their first win over Ludgershall. Kintbury took the lead in the game but were pegged back by an Aaron Joseph goal for Ludgershall. Just as it looked like the two sides would have to settle for a point apiece a second for Kintbury Rangers Development with the last kick of the game saw them inflict a third defeat of the season on Ludgershall and give Kintbury that first win over their opponents. On target for Kintbury were Jacques Tonge and Luke Conner.
It was also a close encounter at Kingsdown School where Kingsdown Lions and Devizes Town Reserves were also meeting for the third time this season with it standing at one win apiece before the latest encounter. In the end the third game between the sides was settled by a solitary Tyler Smith goal, his ninth of the campaign, to give Devizes Town Reserves a third straight win.
There was no close encounter of a third kind in the game between bottom side Purton and in-form Larkhall Athletic Development who certainly brought their “A” game to the Red House this afternoon. Leading 7-0 at the break they added five more in the second half to record a 12-0 win which sent them top of the table for the first time this season with games in hand over all their rivals for the title. Finn Norris led the way for Larkhall scoring five times, Angus Williamson hit a hat-trick, captain Charlie Saunders bagged a brace to join Norris on seven for the season, and there were further goals from Christian Simioni and Martin Smith. Despite the heavy defeat credit to Purton who kept battling to the end against the in-form Larkhall side.

Watch out for more insights regarding this weekend’s games, including interviews with some of the managers, on the Your Sport Swindon website later in the week.

League Tables

Leading Scorers

Results & Next Week's Fixtures

12 November 2022
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