At the start of the day two teams were unbeaten in the Premier Division from their opening 19 league games. Come 4PM that number had been reduced by 50% as Trowbridge Town fell to their first defeat of the season in their 20th game of the season. Trowbridge had what always looked a tricky looking away fixture at Wroughton and it proved to be just that. Whilst Wroughton had not won in three they had been on a good run prior to that mini-blip and, for the first time in 2023, they had a full squad available for the visit of the league leaders. In an impressive first half showing Wroughton went in front 15 minutes in when Sam Long headed in from a corner. Recent signing Aaron Maximen went close to doubling their lead, but they didn’t have to wait long for that second goal. Just after the half hour mark Long doubled the home side’s lead with his second of the game when he headed a loose ball around the keeper and then passed the ball into an empty net for 2-0. Second half saw the league leaders up their game and take the match to Wroughton. They pulled one back 20 minutes from time when Jamie Cunning, a recent signing from their main rivals Devizes Town, hit a wind assisted corner direct into the Wroughton net for 2-1. The final 20 minutes saw Trowbridge really put the Wroughton defence under immense pressure but some solid defending from Luigi Hernandez and Fraser Little ensured Wroughton were able to see out those closing minutes without conceding to become the first team to lower Trowbridge’s colours this season in the league. The win saw Wroughton move above Frome Collegians into fourth place, level on points with third place Blunsdon but with a game in hand over all of the other top five sides.

Sam Long who scored both Wroughton goals as his side became the first to defeat Trowbridge in the league and former Devizes Town player Jamie Cunning who scored the solitary Trowbridge goal (JC picture courtesy of Martin Stokes).

No doubt that result would have gone down well at Devizes where Devizes Town were looking to bounce back from dropping points last week against Marlborough Town, as the top two start to feel a little bit of pressure at the top end of the table ahead of their first meeting of the season in a fortnight’s time. This week though Devizes made no mistake in their game with Shrewton United as a hat-trick from Derek Wheeler plus two goals from Rhys Talmash secured all three points in a 5-0 win to move within a point of Trowbridge at the top of the table, with Devizes now the only unbeaten side in the league. The hat-trick for Wheeler saw him take his total for the season to 19.

Devizes Town's goal scorers Rhys Talmash (2) and Derek Wheeler (3) in their 5-0 win over Shrewton United (pictures courtesy of David Giles).

More of David Giles excellent photos from this game can be found on the League's Facebook Group using this LINK.

Another side climbing one place in the table are Pewsey Vale who made it two wins on the bounce with a 2-1 away win over Kintbury Rangers, the side they displaced in sixth place with their victory. Pewsey had led 1-0 at half time thanks to a James Guthrie goal, Guthrie firing in following a one-on-one with the Kintbury keeper. The home side Kintbury got themselves back into the game 15 minutes from time when Pewsey conceded a penalty which was put away by Aidan Maycock for his ninth goal of the season. There was to be late drama though. First James Guthrie hit the bar with a shot and then, with five minutes to play, he scored his second of the game following a scramble in the box to make it 2-1 to Pewsey. That was to be the end of the scoring as Pewsey avenged the 1-0 defeat they had suffered on the opening day of the season.

Melksham Town Reserves are having a torrid season by their normal high standards and prior to today’s encounter with Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development had won just one game all season. They went into the game having lost 4-2 twice to today’s opponents, once in the league and then again in the Fountain Trophies Cup just a fortnight ago. It was a different story today though as a storming first half performance saw them lead 3-0 at the break. Tom Dowell had given them a 1-0 lead before two goals from Jake Dodge put them in the driving seat. Whilst Royal Wootton Bassett Town improved after the break the damage had been done in that first half as Justin Flowers picked up his first league win since taking over from Craig Kent and doubling his sides league wins in the process.

There were two important games at the bottom end of the table. Salisbury FC Development have shown improved form since the start of the new calendar year and this afternoon entertained Marlborough Town who were looking to build on that impressive draw last week against title chasing Devizes Town. The young Salisbury side, who included four 16-year-olds in their line up, dominated possession from the start but lacked that clinical edge in front of goal, despite creating numerous chances. It looked like the sides would turn around with the game still looking for its first goal, however, the deadlock was finally broken in added time at the end of the half, Dyllan Roocroft getting on the end of a Carson Arnold corner to make it 1-0 to Salisbury. Salisbury continued to have the better of things after the break but were unable to add to their tally and were made to pay for those missed chances in the first half when visitors Marlborough were awarded a penalty. Leading scorer Jake Farrell put the spot kick away taking his total for the season into double figures. That was to be the end of the scoring as the sides had to settle for a point apiece. The point for Salisbury was enough to see them climb a place in the table to tenth spot whilst Marlborough remain in the bottom three but having played all of the top five twice already will fancy their chances of moving up the table before the end of the season.

The final game of the day in the Premier Division was at the Lew Hill Memorial Ground where Stratton Juniors were Odd Down (Bath) Development’s visitors. Odd Down had won just three times in the league ahead of today’s encounter and had been beaten 2-1 by Stratton at the start of the season when they had made the trip into Swindon. This afternoon’s game saw Odd Down avenge that earlier defeat in style, as two goals from both Ryan Rudland and Tyrone Mulholland plus one from Pervez Nedaie secured their best result of the season,  a 5-0 win over Stratton that saw them move to within a point of Marlborough Town.

The one outstanding Second Round tie in the Fountain Trophies Cup required extra time to settle matters at the Flying Monk where Malmesbury Victoria Development’s visitors were in-form Blunsdon. On their day Malmesbury are a match for any side in the division and have a habit of raising their game against the teams at the top of the division. Despite being reduced to ten men as early as the 17^th minute when Sam Parker was dismissed, they pushed Blunsdon all the way. Goals from Josh Gale and a sixth of the season from leading scorer Matty Jones cancelled out the two for visitors meaning extra time was required to decide who progressed to meet Larkhall Athletic Development in the next round. In the end that handicap of being a man down took its toll in extra time as tired Malmesbury legs saw Blunsdon hit three unanswered goals to progress to the quarter final. The five Blunsdon goals were shared around the team with one each for Nick Craft, Lee Toomey, Eliot Wheatley, Jamie Pidgeon and Kane Wheatley.

There was a full programme of games in Division One and the league leaders Kingsdown Lions continued their impressive season with another win, this time against Ludgershall Sports, one of their three rivals for promotion. Kingsdown went in front around the 25^th minute when Scott Stone fired in from distance past an unsighted Ludgershall keeper to make it 1-0 and it remained that way at the break. With the strong wind behind them in the second half Kingsdown took full advantage and doubled their lead within 30 seconds of the restart, Dan Murphy setting up youngster Josh Atwell for his second goal in senior football. Another player from Kingsdown Lions Under 18 squad Nick Wilkes made it 3-0 when he hit home a bouncing ball in the box for his first goal at this level. The scoring was rounded off when Callum Wilkinson, who was returning from injury, got on the end of a Louis O’Shea cross to head home to make the final score 4-0 to Kingsdown. With six league games to go for Kingsdown,  they are in a very strong position to secure promotion to the Premier Division next season.

Larkhall Development moved into second position in the table with what in the end looked a comfortable win at home against Purton. However, the teams turned round at the break with the scores level at 0-0 but once Larkhall made the breakthrough there was only going to  one winner and they went on to score nine more before the end to complete a 10-0 win against a Purton side who to their credit continued to battle to the end. Skipper Charlie Saunders led the way for Larkhall smashing a second half double hat-trick, Marley Carpenter bagged a brace and there were further goals from Finn Norris and Arinze Tross Nonyelu.

The other game in Division One between Pewsey Vale Development and Devizes Town Reserves saw it finished honours even and the points shared following a 1-1 draw, James Cox with the goal for Devizes Town Reserves.

18 February 2023