Both the joint leaders of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Under 18 Division at the start of the week were in action on Monday night. By the end of the evening there was just one team heading the table with one game to play, although both Shrivenham and Chippenham Town could still be caught by one or other of FC Chippenham or Radstock Town.

Shrivenham travelled to Pewsey Recreation Ground to play Pewsey Vale knowing that they had defeated the same opponents 6-1 at Barrington Park back in October but Pewsey Vale are a much tougher nut to crack on their own ground. Despite being only able to field a bare eleven Pewsey put in one of their best performances of the season against a lack-lustre Shrivenham side who perhaps took their opponents for granted. That said it was Shrivenham as was expected who created the early chances but found Pewsey keeper Matt Young in great form. Tyger Hall had the best of the early chances for the visitors Shrivenham but found Young either in the right place or denying him with a great save. His first came after he chested the ball down in the penalty box but then fired a shot straight at Pewsey keeper Young who saved with his feet and the ball was cleared by the Pewsey defence. Another good chance came his was shortly afterwards when he met a cross from the left with his head, but the header was straight at keeper Young. Next up Hall picked up the ball on the edge of the area but fired straight at Young. It was turning out to be a great night for Young as he continued to deny Shrivenham’s striker, the next one a great stop with his feet after Hall fired in powerfully from the edge of the box. Young rode his luck shortly afterwards though when he came running out to the edge of the box and caught a Shrivenham player at the same time as he connected with the ball, but referee Chris Harris ignored the visitors claims for a penalty.

The Pewsey keeper was finally beaten when a shot from the right-hand edge of the area was well saved by Young but unfortunately his save went straight to Kai Richardson who had an easy tap in at the far post to make it 1-0. Richardson then extended Shrivenham’s lead when he curled in a left foot shot in off the post to make it 2-0. Shrivenham continued to have the better of things and create chances and once again Young denied Hall when Hall fired in a corner which would have gone straight in but for the intervention of the keeper. It was from a corner at the other end that Pewsey Vale got themselves back into the game just before half time. The ball in from Pewsey’s right-hand side was dropped by Shrivenham keeper Matthew Goldfinch and Pewsey’s Ayron Rowe made the keeper pay as he bundled the ball into the net to make it 2-1.

Pewsey keeper Young was once again called into action after the interval when a Tyger Hall free kick was headed back across goal and was palmed away from danger by Young. Shrivenham then had another penalty shout but once again the appeals fell on deaf ears. Shrivenham then had a goal disallowed for a foul on the keeper but they eventually did extend their lead in the final minutes of the game. A free kick from keeper Matthew Goldfinch was headed on and then as the cross came in from the right hand side it looked a simple tap in for Tyger Hall but, on a night when his luck in front of goal was well and truly out, his shot struck the post although lucky for his side it then rebounded in off a Pewsey defender for an own goal to make it 3-1 to the visitors. Despite their lowly position in the table Pewsey had certainly made title chasing Shrivenham work really hard for the three points which bodes well for their remaining fixtures. Shrivenham’s last game of the season is a difficult looking trip to play Radstock Town who are also still in the mix for honours, so there is all to play for still. Your Sport Swindon were once again at the game and the excellent highlights package can be viewed by using the link below or the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the league website.

Whilst Shrivenham made sure they picked up the three points on offer on Monday night Chippenham Town, their closest rivals for the title in the current league table, slipped up at home to Melksham Town. Chippenham had lost just two games prior to Monday night’s encounter and one of those defeats was at the hands of Melksham. Despite having a lot of the possession on the night, a solitary goal from Josh Cole was all they had to show for their efforts whilst goals from Cameron Pearce with a long-range effort from 25 yards and a low powerful shot into the bottom corner of the net from just inside the box from Billy Hawkins ensured Melksham completed an impressive double over Chippenham Town’s academy based side. Hawkins is certainly in a rich vein of form in front of goal at the moment, as that was his fifth goal in the last four games, whilst Cameron followed up his debut goal in senior football on Saturday with his sixth of the season in the U18 Division. Melksham finish their season with a trip to New College on Thursday with a very slim chance of still finishing runners-up if they win that game, but they look good for a top four finish. Chippenham Town also complete their games this Thursday night with a trip to Pewsey Vale.

Results

Monday 10th May 2021

Chippenham Town 1 Melksham Town 2

Pewsey Vale 1 Shrivenham 3



11 May  2021