FA Youth Cup
Three of our Under 18 Division sides were in action in the Preliminary Round of the FA Youth Cup last week with two of the three safely making it through to the First Qualifying Round.
On Tuesday 2nd September Devizes Town were comfortable winners away at Shepton Mallet. Caleb Hollow was the star of the show scoring four times in their 6-1 win, Jack Farion and Jack Smith with the other two Devizes goals. Devizes will now be away to Gloucester City in the First Qualifying Round which is scheduled to take place on Thursday 16th September 2021.
On the following Thursday Royal Wootton Bassett Town started well but found themselves trailing to two goals from Paulton’s Harrison Newman in a very open game. The deficit was halved shortly after the restart. Receiving possession on the edge of the area, Euan Spackman expertly checked inside his marker before arrowing a terrific effort into the bottom left corner with his subsequent touch. That goal sparked Paulton back into life though. And, after Bassett rode their luck, Leo Miller restored the visitors' two goal advantage with a deft, measured chip from twenty yards and that was to be the end of the scoring as it finished 3-1 to Paulton.
The same night Radstock Town were also in action and it was a better result for the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side as they triumphed 2-1 against Bishops Sutton from the Western Counties Floodlit Youth League to progress to the First Qualifying Round. On target for Radstock were Daniel Orford and Alfie Williams, the latter scoring from the penalty spot. In the next round they will be away to Chippenham Town, with this game scheduled to take place on Wednesday 15th September 2021.
The league action gets under way this Thursday with a full programme of four games. With last season’s champions, runners-up and third placed sides all having withdrawn from the league during the summer it looks to be a really open league this coming season with Melksham Town the only previous winner taking part. Thursday night sees them start their season with a visit from Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Two of the new sides this season Calne Town and Devizes Town both start with home games, Calne welcome New College Swindon to Bremhill View, whilst Devizes entertain Pewsey Vale. The other new team to the division AFC Aldermaston start their campaign with a trip to Radstock Town.
Wiltshire County Youth Cup
The Wiltshire FA have also recently drawn the ties for the First Round of their County FA Youth Cup with 23 First Round ties originally scheduled to take place this coming weekend. However, at least six of the ties have already been awarded to sides with opponents having withdrawn from the competition with some of the teams having folded. The full draw and the league that the various sides play in (key to leagues at the bottom of the draw) is shown below:
First Round Draw
Pewsey Vale (U18 Flood) v Highworth Town Junior J (NW)
Ramsbury Youth (MW) v Marlborough Youth (NW)
Chippenham Town Youth (MW) v Malmesbury Vics Youth Dev (NW)
FC Abbey Meads Yth Grey (NW) v Castle Combe Colts – awarded to Abbey Meads
Highworth Town Jun H (NW) v New College Swindon (U18 Flood)
AFC Corsham Warriers (MW) v Bradford Town Yth Lions (MW)
Trowbridge Town Raiders (MW) v Melksham T Yth Hurricances (MW)
Swindon Supermarine Yth (SWC) v Devizes Town (U18 Flood)
Westbury Youth (MW) v Salisbury FC (SDT)
Melksham Town U18 (MW) v Devizes Town Yth U17 (MW)
Kingdown Lions Black (NW) v Lydiard Millicent Jnr (NW)
FC Chippenham Yth Blues U17 (NW) v S. Supermarine Yth U17 (NW)
FC Calne Hurricanes U17 v Wroughton Yth U18 (NW) – awarded to Wroughton
Bradford T Flood (WCFYL) v FC Chippenham Yth Kestrels – awarded to Bradford T
Wroughton Youth U17 (NW) v Croft Junior Blue (NW)
AFC Salisbury v Amesbury Junior Typhoons (MW) – awarded to Amesbury
Calne Town (U18 Flood) v Laverstock & Ford Youth (Test)
FC Calne Youth U18 (MW) v Ferndale Rodbourne – awarded to FC Calne
Trowbridge Town Yellow (MW) v Melksham Town U18 – awarded to Trowbridge
Downton Youth FC (Test) v Alderbury Youth (Test)
Shrewton United (Test) v Heytesbury (MW)
Bradford Town Youth Tigers (MW) v Melksham T Yth Tornadoes (MW)
Chippenham Town FC Wilts * v Royal W. Bassett Town (U18 Flood)
Key to Leagues
U18 Flood = Corsham Print Wiltshire League U18 Division
NW = North Wilts Youth Football League
MW = Mid Wilts Youth Football League
Test = Testaway Youth Football League
SDT = Southampton & District Tyro League
WCFYL = Western Counties Floodlit Youth League
SWC = South West Counties League
*Unable to find what league Chippenham Town U18 side play in as no longer in our league. Wilts FA show this team as being Chippenham Town U23 who do not play in an U18 league but are in the Suburban League whilst they also have an U19 teams in the National League Alliance. Presumably U18 players registered with the U19 side will be playing in the competition.
8 September 2021