Midweek action in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup saw the two sides based just over the border in Somerset, Frome Collegians and Odd Down Reserves, do battle in the South Group on Wednesday night. The two league meetings between the sides before the league season was curtailed had seen two close encounters, with each side winning their respective away fixture 3-2. The third meeting between the sides this season was no different. Frome Collegians went in front from the penalty spot, with Odd Down’s Harvey Kendrick booked for his protestations regarding the award of the spot kick. Two minutes later Kendrick’s evening went from bad to worse as he picked up a second yellow card and was sent-off. It remained 1-0 at the break but Ross Knapton extended Frome’s lead in the 55th minute from a corner but the ten men of Odd Down fought back strongly. Tom Ricketts pulled one back for Odd Down to make it 2-1 and then Devante Halladey, on his return from injury, brought them back on level terms. Just as it looked like the two sides would have to settle for a point each, Frome captain Barry Sandquest fired in a late winner from an acute angle to give Frome all three points and leadership of the South Group ahead of Saturday’s fixtures.
Preview of Saturday's Games
Frome Collegians will look to maintain their leadership of the South Group on Saturday with a win at Ludgershall Sports. When the two sides met at Frome in the league back in October, in the only previous meeting between the sides in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League, Frome were comfortable winners, Jake Wright firing a hat-trick in a 6-1 win. Ludgershall Sports have shown much better form of late though, including a recent draw with Melksham Town Reserves, and they will certainly be looking for a much better performance against Frome than the last meeting.
The young Odd Down Reserves side meanwhile travel to the InfiLED to take on Melksham Town Reserves for the third meeting of the season between the two sides. Odd Down were narrow 1-0 winners at the InfiLED at the beginning of September, but Melksham avenged that defeat at the end of the same month, inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the young Odd Down side. Ahead of Saturday’s group fixture in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup Melksham Town Reserves themselves have announced they will be giving a run out to a number of their Under 18’s in this fixture to give them experience of Senior football.
The final game in the South Group this weekend sees two sides who suffered defeats last week look to get their cup campaign’s back on track. Trowbridge Town went down 3-0 against Corsham Town Reserves last Saturday, whilst Shrewton United also lost by a similar score at Frome Collegians in a game which also saw their goalkeeper dismissed for a handball outside the box. When the two sides met at Shrewton in the league back in September, the home side Shrewton were comfortable 4-0 winners and manager Joe Sheldrake will be hoping for a similar performance on Saturday. Trowbridge warmed up for this week’s cup fixture with a friendly against Western League side Bradford Town on Wednesday night but suffered a heavy defeat against their higher league opponents, going down 9-0.
Pewsey Vale finally get to play a game in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup this coming Saturday after their first two scheduled fixtures in the North Group against Marlborough Town and Purton were awarded to them. Prior to the league season being curtailed Pewsey were heading the table and looking a good bet to win the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League for the third time, the last occasion being Season 1992-93. This coming Saturday they make the short journey to Devizes to take on a much-improved Devizes Town Reserves. The two sides had met in the league just prior to the league season being brought to a premature end, that day goals from Harry Horeau and James Guthrie gave Pewsey a 2-0 win but they will be conscious that Devizes have shown good form in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup so far.
The final game of the weekend sees Cricklade Town travel into Swindon to play a Stratton Juniors side who they have only met once in the two seasons that Stratton Juniors have been back in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. That game was back in October 2019 and saw Stratton Juniors win 2-1. Both sides have played one game each in the competition so far, both losing but both being awarded the games due to the opponents playing ineligible players. Hopefully the issues that have bedevilled the North Group are now behind us and the remaining games can all get played without any issues.
With the football community uniting in boycotting social media this coming weekend, there will be no tweets issued by the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League relating to this weekend’s games
and the round-up of the action will be published on Tuesday next week. Results will, however, be available on FA Full-Time.
Saturday's Fixtures
South Group
Saturday 1st May 2021
Ludgershall Sports v Frome Collegians
Melksham Town Res v Odd Down Res
Trowbridge Town v Shrewton Utd
North Group
Saturday 1st May 2021
Devizes Town Res v Pewsey Vale
Stratton Juniors v Cricklade Town
28 April 2021