The title race in the Under 18 Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League was already looking to be a fascinating close-run contest with Shrivenham and Chippenham Town in the ascendency but after Thursday night’s action there are still four sides with realistic title aspirations in what has been an extremely competitive Under 18 Division this season.

The big match of the night was at Barrington Park where the joint leaders Shrivenham and Chippenham Town met in a game which had the potential to have a big say in the ultimate destination of the league title. A win for either side would have put them in pole position to lift the title. A draw, however, would once again reopen the door for FC Chippenham and Radstock Town and possibly Melksham Town, although the latter were running out of games. Chippenham went in front when a neat cross from the right was controlled on his chest by Joshua Cole as he got behind the Shrivenham defence, and he then colly lobbed the ball past Matthew Goldfinch in the Shrivenham goal to make it 1-0 to the visitors. However, Chippenham did not hold onto the lead for very long as Shrivenham’s Joe Kemp got on the end of a free kick with his head at the far post for his second goal of the season to make it 1-1. Shrivenham then went in front for the first time in the match with a similar goal as Chippenham Town once again conceded following a cross to the far post from their right-hand side, this time the source of the cross was a corner which was met powerfully by the head of Taida Tendayi for his second league goal of the campaign. Shrivenham went into the half time break holding that slender lead and went close to extending it shortly after the interval but the chance was missed, and Chippenham then started to impose themselves on the game. A sustained period of possession was eventually rewarded when a ball into Dylan Jones just outside the eighteen-yard box saw him fire in a powerful left foot shot past Goldfinch in the Shrivenham goal to level matters up at two apiece. Both sides had chances to win the match with Shrivenham’s Tyger Hall almost nicking it at the death only to be denied by a great save from the Chippenham keeper Bailey Leach. The draw left both sides on 24 points with two games to play. Chippenham Town have Pewsey Vale and Melksham Town still to play, the latter one of the two sides to beat them this season with the game scheduled for this coming Monday. Shrivenham meanwhile also have Pewsey Vale to play, that game also being this coming Monday, and finish with a trip to Radstock Town who are unbeaten at home this season. Your Sport Swindon were at the Shrivenham v Chippenham game and the highlights can be seen by either clicking on the link below or using the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the league website.

Joe Kemp and Taida Tendayi who were both on target for Shrivenham in the 2-2 draw with Chippenham Town (pictures courtesy of Steve Green and Mike Wray)

Third placed Melksham Town travelled to Royal Wootton Bassett Town, who started the night in fourth spot, knowing nothing less than a win would keep their own title aspirations realistically alive. They went into the game on a great run of form but, after a mid-season blip, were running out of games in the quest to close in on the top two. To then find themselves 3-0 down after just twenty minutes certainly was not in the script that Colby Cain had hoped for. All three goals from the home side came from headers from a couple of free kicks and a corner, Rhys Farrow, Seb Smith and Michael Gilder the scorers, the latter netting his fifth goal of the season. Finding themselves three down Melksham Town dug deep and got themselves back into the match with two goals of their own before the half time interval. Billy Hawkins scored from a corner and then Aron Byfield netted from the penalty spot to make it 3-2. After the break Melksham lay siege to the Royal Wootton Bassett Town goal and got back on level terms when Billy Hawkins scored his second of the game with what was his fifth goal of the season. Although Melksham had the better of things in that second half there were chances for both sides towards the end to snatch a winner but there were to be no further goals meaning the points were shared. With just two games to play and being five points behind the joint leaders Melksham’s title aspirations are as good as over now. Their two remaining games see them travel to Chippenham Town on Monday before ending their season with another away game at New College. Royal Wootton Bassett Town have four remaining games with both New College and FC Chippenham to play twice. The goals from the Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Melksham game can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

On the subject of FC Chippenham, the results certainly went their way on Thursday night. With that draw between Shrivenham and Chippenham Town it meant that FC Chippenham’s title aspirations were back in their own hands after they achieved a comprehensive 7-0 win over Pewsey Vale at Pewsey Recreation Ground. FC Chippenham still have six games to go and were they to win all six they would be crowned champions. FC Chippenham have both Radstock Town and Royal Wootton Bassett Town to play twice, plus home games against Pewsey Vale and New College.

Radstock Town are also still very much in the title hunt and can go to within two points of the joint leaders if they win their games in hand although they have some tough looking fixtures still to play, including those two games against FC Chippenham and one with Shrivenham. They maintained their interest in the title race with a hard fought away win at New College. Tom Ricketts put them ahead on 25 minutes, but New College got themselves back into the game five minutes before the interval when Morgan Francis scored his first of the season to make it 1-1 at the break. It remained level until the hour mark when Tom Ricketts scored his second of the game with what would prove to be the winning goal and three valuable points for Radstock as they moved level on points with both FC Chippenham and Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Other than the games against FC Chippenham and Shrivenham, Radstock have New College and Pewsey Vale to play.

The destiny of the Under 18 title is still very much up in the air and with the FA re-confirming the information received last season that goal difference cannot be used to determine final rankings in Youth football as per the Standard Code of Rules for Youth Competitions, there is still the possibility that play-offs may be needed to decide the winners and runners-up positions in the division.

Results

Thursday 6th May 2021

New College 1 Radstock Town 2

Pewsey Vale 0 FC Chippenham 7

Royal W. Bassett Town 3 Melksham Town 3

Shrivenham 2 Chippenham Town 2

7 May  2021