On another wet and windy afternoon, the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League fared better than a number of other leagues in the West Country with six of the scheduled 11 games going ahead, including helpfully both games in the Fountain Trophies Cup. Trowbridge Town switched their Second Round Fountain Trophies Cup game with Salisbury FC Development to Bath University’s main pitch in order to get their game on. When the two sides met in the league back in September Trowbridge were comfortable 8-0 winners helped by Salisbury playing the whole game two players short. The New Year has seen Salisbury strengthen their squad and most of the Trowbridge squad that won that day are now with Bradford Town in the Hellenic League, so a much closer game was anticipated and so it proved. Salisbury played with the strong wind behind them in the first half and took full advantage going into the break 1-0 to the good, Dyllan Roocroft firing in after getting on the end of a chip from Evan Crang five minutes before half-time. Trowbridge now had the wind behind them in the second half and were back on level terms within a minute of the restart, Dan Sibley firing into the bottom corner of the net for 1-1.  Trowbridge turned things fully round when Josh Howe headed Trowbridge in front after the Salisbury keeper failed to hold an in-swinging corner. Howe went close again shortly after but whilst there were chances at both ends there was to be no further goals and it is Trowbridge Town who progress to the last eight.

The other cup game saw Division One leaders Kingsdown Lions take on Premier Division opponents in Shrewton United in a game played on 3G at Kingsdown School, which was never in doubt despite all the wet weather this week. Even with a perfect surface the game was played in difficult conditions with a strong swirling wind throughout the match. It led to a very even game throughout with both sides creating chances, but the teams turned round at half time with the game still without a goal. The deadlock was broken early in the second half as Shrewton United went more direct to try and open up the Kingsdown defence. They successfully did that when a ball over the top was not properly cleared, the ball finding Aidan Compton who fired the visitors ahead. In such difficult conditions it was a day when set pieces were most likely to be the source of goals and it transpired to be just that. Kingsdown got themselves back on level terms eleven minutes from time when 16-year old Ethan Lee got on the end of a Josh Barnfield corner to head his side level. Shrewton United then had a golden chance to get themselves back in front but the chance was spurned. Just as it looked like extra time would be needed to settle matters, another corner from Josh Barnfield, four minutes from time, fell to Tyler Wilkinson in the box and he fired home to secure a 2-1 win to see Kingsdown knock out their Premiership opponents.  Kingsdown join Trowbridge Town, Frome Collegians and Wroughton safely through to the last eight.

In the league in-form Blunsdon travelled to Marlborough Town on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run, with six of those games having been won. When they had met at Sutton Park at the beginning of October Blunsdon had run out comfortable 6-2 winners but with Marlborough having improved under new manager Malcolm Ford a much closer game was anticipated. Once again that proved to be the case but Blunsdon are in a winning groove and goals from Jamie Pidgeon and Lee Toomey, both set up by Eliot Wheatley, secured a 2-1 away win that means that unbeaten run now stretches to eight games. The win for Blunsdon saw them climb above Kintbury Rangers into fourth place in the table and with the three teams above them in the table to play before the end of February it will be interesting to see if they can maintain the momentum and have a big say in the ultimate destination of this season’s league title.

Another team on a good run of form are Frome Collegians who went into their game against Odd Down (Bath) Development with County bragging rights at stake and in a confident mood having won three on the bounce. Collegians had returned from the Lew Hill Memorial Ground in the opening week of the season following a 3-0 win but it was a much closer affair in the return match, switched to the 3G at Selwood Academy with the pitch at the Old Showfield waterlogged. Odd Down made a great start to the game scoring in the very first minute but Theo Sing put Frome level and then a looping header from Barry Sandquest put Frome in front for the first time, all three goals coming in the first half in what was a competitive physical game between the two Somerset sides. It remained tight in the second half with chances at both ends. Odd Down’s efforts to get back on level terms were not helped when they were reduced to ten men ten minutes from time and there was to be no further goals as Frome secured a narrow 2-1 win.  That is now four straight wins for Frome who moved above Pewsey Vale into sixth place, level on points with fifth placed Kintbury Rangers.

Calne Town Reserves made the short journey along the A3102 to Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development looking to complete a league double having won 2-0 at Bremhill View back in August. Calne started much the brighter of the two sides and were rewarded with a goal 18 minutes in, a free kick to the far post was headed back across goal and an unmarked Ben Wootten with a free header made no mistake to put his side ahead. Calne continued to have more of the play as the home side looked like a side who had not played for a month, although that was an issue that both sides faced ahead of the game. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development eventually started to get into the game and went close when Mani Mesas fired in a shot from distance which was spectacularly pushed round the post by Calne keeper Jordan Brooks. The home side did finally get themselves back into the game when a handball in the box, flagged by the assistant referee, saw the award of a penalty. George Lance duly fired the spot kick past Brooks into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-1. Calne continued to create the better chances and went close when Eddie Summers outpaced a very static home back line but saw his shot well saved by keeper Jack Rae. Rae was called into action again two minutes from half time, the young keeper saving a Stuart Windsor shot from point blank range to keep the scores level. There was still time for another Calne chance though, Summers seeing a shot from the edge of the box come back off the crossbar as it remained all level at the break mainly thanks to Raes performance in the home side’s goal. Royal Wootton Bassett Town upped their game in the second half, and it remained tight with both sides pushing for the three points. When a home side attack broke down on the edge of their opponents box a long ball out of defence once again was not dealt with by the Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development static backline and it saw Summers completely in the clear and he made no mistake firing the ball past Rae to make it 2-1 to Calne. With time running out the home side were given a golden chance to take a share of the points when a second handball incident in the box saw another penalty awarded. Having put one away George Lance left this one to Mani Mesas and unfortunately for Royal Wootton Bassett his spot kick was fired high and wide and it was Calne who took all three points to complete a league double over their near neighbours.

More photos from the RWBT Dev game v Calne Town Res in gallery at bottom of page

The games between Melksham Town Reserves and Stratton Juniors, Malmesbury Vics Development’s trip to Pewsey Vale and the scheduled top end of the table clash between Wroughton and Devizes Town were all postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

Just the one game survived in Division 1 and it saw a comfortable 9-0 win for Devizes Town Reserves over bottom side Purton. Tyler Smith was the star of the show scoring a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to 12 and leadership of the Division’s top scorer chart. Jack Woolsgrove scored two and there was one apiece for Liam Moffat, Sam Tallis, Adam Sullivan and Jordon Croad. The win for Devizes saw them climb into second spot in the table, a point behind leaders Kingsdown Lions having played one game more.

The games between Larkhall Athletic Devand Kintbury Rangers Dev and Pewsey Vale Development's scheduled trip to Ludgershall Sports were both postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

14 January 2023