The final league game of the 2021-22 Season in the Under 18 Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League took place on Thursday night when the side who were bottom of the table at the start of the night, Pewsey Vale, played the league champions and cup winners Devizes Town. Pewsey went into the game knowing that a win over the champions would see them move off the bottom above New College Swindon. Whilst Devizes went into the game on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions, 10 of which had been won, they had been made to work hard for all three points in the recent cup group game against Pewsey, eventually edging it 2-1 and were anticipating another competitive game.

Close games has also been a key feature of league games this season in the Under 18 Division with 27 of the 55 league games played before Thursday’s encounter either been drawn (6 games) or settled by a single goal margin (21). The crowd at the Recreation Ground witnessed another entertaining game. A powerful shot and first goal of the season from Charles Bibby gave Devizes the lead but Pewsey were back on level terms before the break, Harry Field scoring at the back post from a perfectly placed free kick from Tom Plank to take his total for the season to four. The second half saw Harvey Swain restore Devizes advantage with his sixth goal of the campaign but an excellent finish from Jude Cawley saw the two sides share the points following a 2-2 draw. The point for Pewsey saw them move level on points with New College and with FA rules for Under 18 competitions not allowing goal difference to be used to separate teams Pewsey and New College finished in joint seventh position in what has been an excellent season in the Under 18s. The draw also meant that exactly half of the 56 games had now either been drawn or won by a single goal margin highlighting the competitiveness of the division this season.

13 May 2022