There were plenty of goals in this weeks five Under 18 Floodlight Division fixtures, starting on Monday night when Kintbury Rangers Youth made the relatively short trip to play AFC Aldermaston. After losing their second game of the season, Kintbury have won every game since and were comfortable winners on Monday putting seven goals past Aldermaston. Ashley Howes scored four times, adding to the couple he scored in Kintbury’s recent Berks & Bucks Youth Cup win over Slough Town, and there were further goals for Jake Huntley, Cameron Sanchez and Joseph Sheridan. The win sent Kintbury top of the table ahead of Thursday’s round of matches.

There were plenty of goals again on Tuesday night at Kingsdown School where Calne Town picked up their second win of the season with a 5-2 away success over Kingsdown Lions. Kingsdown Lions took the lead on 20 minutes, but Calne hit back with two goals to lead 2-1 at the break. Three further goals in the second half put them 5-1 up before the Lions grabbed a late consolation goal. Leading scorer Asher Jones led the way for Calne firing a hat-trick to double his total for the season, Thomas Gates and Jacob Pritchard with the other Calne Town goals, Ethan Lee and Ben Payne with the two Kingsdown Lions goals.

Thursday night saw three more games with Royal Wootton Bassett Town looking to reclaim top spot from Kintbury with Radstock Town also looking at the chance to go joint top if Royal Wootton Bassett Town slipped up at home to Bradford Town. A storming first half performance by Royal Wootton Bassett Town ensured it would be they who claimed that top spot, goals from Max Wood, leading scorer Jacob Haines who took his tally for the season to eight, Noah Cranswick-Coates and Alan de Paula giving the home side a 4-0 half time lead. It was a different story after the break though as Bradford Town came out looking to get a foothold back in the game, Finn Pilkington pulling one back early in the half to make it 4-1. Bradford pushed for further goals but were unable to add to that one from Pilkington and Euan Spackman rounded off a good night for the home side with a fifth goal to make the final score 5-1 and a return to the top of the table. Royal Wootton Bassett Town are two points clear of Kintbury, but Kintbury have a game in hand.

In the end it was Radstock Town who slipped up at home going down 2-0 against the young Melksham Town in a disciplined performance from Steve Redell’s side. Radstock's cause was not helped by having their goalkeeper sent off for handling the ball outside his box. Second half goals from Kegan Smart and Charlie Warren ensured that it was Melksham who took all three points recording their second win of the season which saw them move up to sixth place in the table.

The final game of the evening was at Warminster Town where the home side, whilst not yet having recorded a victory, have slowly been adapting to life in the division with successive draws against Bradford Town and the leaders Royal Wootton Bassett Town. They were up against one of the title favourites Bishops Cannings who came into the game having won both their opening two league fixtures and looking to maintain the only 100% winning record in the division. It started well for Bishops Cannings as they went 1-0 up, Jack Farion getting on the end of a Tyler Moore corner. They then thought they had extended their lead when Jack Smith had the ball in the net, but the referee had already blown for a penalty for an infringement which saw the Warminster keeper booked. Jack Farion then saw his spot kick saved by the Warminster keeper and it remained 1-0. Warminster then got themselves back on level terms thanks to a powerful shot from Braden Humphreys. The same player then put the home side ahead for the first time with another stunning strike to make it 2-1 and it looked like, not only would Bishops Cannings lose their 100% record, they would also lose their unbeaten tag as well. However, an equaliser from Danny Bowyer with his second of the season ensured that Bishops Cannings retained that unbeaten tag even though the 100% record had gone. For Warminster that is now three consecutive draws and that first win of the season cannot be too far away.

League Table

Leading Scorers

Results and Next Week's Fixtures

14 October 2022