Adam Shipman who scored a late winner for Corsham Town Res against Melksham (picture courtesy of Jacob Price)
On what was a wet and windy afternoon, the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup South Group once again saw three fixtures played and the group looks like it will go to the wire to decide who will make it into the final which is scheduled to take place at its traditional home of Corsham Town’s Ground on Saturday 29th May, kick-off 3.00pm.
The big game at the top of the South Group took place at Odd Down Sports Ground where
Shrewton United
and
Odd Down Reserves
met in a game switched to Odd Down with the pitch at Shrewton being unavailable due to cricket. When the sides had met in the league back in October Shrewton had finished comfortable 5-0 winners, but it was a different story this time round. They did however take the lead with a powerful shot from Robbie Mitchell, Mitchell firing into the top corner from 20 yards. Matt Talbot then brought the young Odd Down side back on level terms with his first of the season. Odd Down took the lead for the first time in the match on 65 minutes when Dan Taylor fired in a superb free kick from distance to make it 2-1. They then had a chance to extend their lead ten minutes from time from the penalty spot. However, Taylor’s spot kick was well saved by youngster Levente Gonda in the Shrewton goal. There were no further goals as Odd Down took the three points to move level on points with Frome Collegians at the top of the group, Odd Down heading the table by reason of a better goal difference. Shrewton are three points behind in fifth place.
Corsham Town Reserves are the only side not to have dropped a point in the South Group after they picked up their second win with a narrow hard-fought victory at Melksham Town Reserves. Trailing to a Melksham goal, two late efforts from Adam Shipman in the closing minutes of the game gave Corsham all three points. Melksham had taken the lead from a corner just before half time with the Corsham defence failing to deal with the set piece allowing Cameron Pearce to score his first goal in senior football since stepping up from Melksham's Under 18 side. Pearce was one of a number from Melksham's U18 side gaining experience of senior football in recent weeks in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup. Corsham equalised through Shipman in a similar fashion to the Melksham goal before he then scored his second of the game late on to claim the points. Again the goal came from a cross into the box that was not cleared properly in the difficult conditions, the ball fell to a Corsham player who tapped it across to Shipman to score. He is certainly enjoying this competition as that is now three in two games for him. Corsham are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Ludgershall Sports under the lights at the Southbank Ground as they look to make it three wins from their opening three games.
Action from todays game between Melksham Town Res and Corsham Town Res (picture courtesy of Starsphinx Photography)
More photos from this game can be viewed by using the link below:
Melksham Town FC Res v Corsham Town FC Res 08-05-2021 (starsphinx.com)
Trowbridge Town had started their cup campaign with a resounding 4-0 win over near neighbours Frome Collegians but had then suffered back-to-back defeats against Corsham Town Reserves and Shrewton United. Saturday saw them look to get their cup campaign back on track against a Ludgershall Sports side that had also lost their last two games after starting with a good draw against Melksham Town Reserves. The home side Trowbridge went ahead when what looked a cross from Jake Sainsbury deceived the Ludgershall defence going over their keeper Alex Topham’s head into the top corner of the net. Visitors Ludgershall got themselves back on level terms when the Trowbridge defence failed to deal with a ball into the box and the clearance from the defence fell to Kiefer Roper 20 yards out who fired in to make it 1-1. Trowbridge restored their lead following good work down the left from Nick Taylor which ended with the ball being crossed into the box, the cross being met by Jake Sainsbury’s head for his second of the game and it remained 2-1 at the break. Trowbridge extended their lead with a good team goal with Jamie Hughes and Tom Caldicott involved in the build-up play, Caldicott putting in the cross which was met with powerful header by Sainsbury to make it 3-1 to the home side, Sainsbury becoming Trowbridge’s leading scorer for the season in the process with his hat-trick. Trowbridge made sure of all three points when Sainsbury went from scorer to provider, his cross from the right being met by Nick Taylor and whilst Ludgershall keeper Topham, who was having an excellent game for the visitors, got his hand to it he was unable to prevent the ball finding its way into the net. With two games to go for Trowbridge Town, a trip to Odd Down Reserves next week being followed by a home game against Melksham Town Res, Trowbridge manager Ant Ottaviano noted that “it was all still to play for” in what is a very competitive and even South Group.
In the North Group just the one fixture was played with
Devizes Town Reserves
and
Stratton Juniors
meeting for the very first time in a competitive fixture. Both sides went into the game with aspirations of making the final of the cup although for Devizes it was a must win game having lost to Pewsey Vale and having the win against Cricklade overturned by the discipline committee. In the difficult conditions with a strong wind behind them visitors Stratton took the lead through Charlie Pugh from a simple tap in following a mistake in the Devizes defence. That is a goal in consecutive cup games for Pugh. Devizes were back on level terms though before the interval, Rich Tandy also scoring his second in consecutive games in the Fountain Trophies competition. The second half saw Devizes Town Res, with the strong wind behind them, have most of the attacking play, with visitors Stratton struggling to get the ball out of their own half in the difficult conditions but it took until ten minutes from time for the deciding goal to be scored, Dan Sloan getting on the end of a ball to the far post to make it 2-1 to Devizes and secure the three points. Devizes must now sit and wait to see how other results go as their final scheduled game against Marlborough Town will be awarded to them following Marlborough’s withdrawal. It has been an encouraging cup campaign for Devizes which bodes well for next season. Whilst they sat second from bottom of the table, most of their fixtures had been against sides in the top half of the table and their cup form has shown that they are a much better side than their league position suggested at the time the season was curtailed. Stratton Juniors are back in action next week when they travel to Malmesbury Vics Development whilst the other game in the North Group next week sees Pewsey Vale look to maintain their 100% winning record against Cricklade Town.
Next Week's Fixtures
South Group
Tuesday 11th May 2021
Corsham Town Res v Ludgershall Sports
Saturday 15th May 2021
Corsham Town Res v Shrewton Utd
Frome Collegians v Melksham Town Res
Odd Down Res v Trowbridge Town
North Group
Saturday 15th May 2021
Malmesbury Vics Dev v Stratton Juniors
Pewsey Vale v Cricklade Town
8 May 2021