This Saturday saw the first meeting of the top two this season with Trowbridge Town entertaining Devizes Town at the Daykin Estates Ground in front of a bumper crowd of 250. Devizes came into the game as the only unbeaten side in the league this season but trailing Trowbridge by a single point even though Trowbridge had recently lost at Wroughton, Devizes having drawn two more games than their title rivals. With eight games still to play after today’s encounter both sides knew their season would not be decided this afternoon but a win for either side would have meant their destiny would be in their own hands in those eight remaining games. It was a typical high tempo physical encounter involving two teams challenging for league honours which referee Luke Fabry controlled really well throughout. Visitors Devizes Town were much the more lively and dangerous side throughout and could have been out of sight by half time with the number of chances they created. Most of the opportunities fell the way of Rhys Talmash and Jamal Chevolleau who were proving a handful for the Trowbridge defence. An early chance saw Talmash shoot tamely at goal and it was easily claimed by Trowbridge keeper Ed Baldy. Baldy was soon in action again Chevolleau drawing a fine save from the Trowbridge keeper who turned his powerful shot just over the bar. Chevolleau continued to cause the Trowbridge defence all kinds of problems and a shot from him across goal went just wide of the far post. The breakthrough eventually did come for Devizes just after the half hour mark when keeper Baldy was adjudged to have fouled a Devizes player in the box and a penalty awarded. Rhys Talmash stepped up to take the spot kick and fired it to the keeeper’s left and into the bottom corner of the net for 1-0 to Devizes. Chevolleau and Talmash continued to cause havoc in the Trowbridge defence, Talmash firing just wide of the post after being set up by his strike partner. The same two combined again shortly after but the resulting shot this time was fired over. Somehow despite their domination Devizes Town had just the one goal to show for their first half endeavours.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with Devizes very much in the ascendency. The home side Trowbridge’s cause was then not helped when a reckless challenge from Ali Bradley around the hour mark saw a straight red card produced and Trowbridge down to ten men. The Devizes front two continued to create multiple chances for themselves and each other. Chevolleau fired just over before then shooting straight at the keeper from inside the box. Talmash then went close with a shot from the edge of the box which Baldy in the Trowbridge goal pushed away diving at full length to keep the score at 1-0. There had been very few chances for Trowbridge throughout the game but they were to make Devizes pay for their profligacy in front of goal. A ball over the top five minutes from time eluded the Devizes central defenders and Connor McKay found himself through on goal and his low shot went through the legs of the Devizes keeper for an equaliser for Trowbridge much to the delight of the large home crowd. Despite their domination of the game Devizes had to settle for a point rather than the three they probably deserved on the balance of play. It is as you were at the start of the day at the top of the table with the second leg set for Nursteed Road on Easter Monday when another large crowd is expected for a game which could well decide the destination of the title. Whilst that game will now have added importance neither side can afford to drop many, if any, points in their other seven remaining fixtures given how the two sides have been winning all season. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view the match highlights by clicking on the link below or by using the link on the Your Sports Swindon page of the League website.

More action from the 1-1 draw between Trowbridge Town & Devizes Town

(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.

Wroughton had defeated league leaders Trowbridge Town in their last game and with Devizes Town still to play could yet still have a big say in the title race. Today’s visitors to the Weir Field were bottom of the table Melksham Town Reserves who came into the game unbeaten in their last two under new manager Justin Flowers who has started to turn things round after a tough start to the season. In a tight first half, Wroughton went in front on the half hour mark, Fraser Little heading in from a Jonathan Peachey-Score free kick for the only goal of the first half. Wroughton had a gilt-edge chance to extend their lead five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty. However, Aaron Maximen spurned the chance, firing his penalty high and over the bar as the score remained 1-0. It stayed just the one goal until 20 minutes from time when the Premier Division’s leading scorer Peachey-Score curled a shot from 25 yards out into the net to make it 2-0 to Wroughton to secure all three points. The win saw Wroughton climb two places in the table, moving above both Blunsdon and Frome Collegians, the latter having been left kicking their heels after Stratton Juniors postponed their game on Friday, Stratton being unable to raise a team to travel to Frome.

Wroughton before today's win against Melksham Town Res (pictures courtesy of Ben Jarrett) & Jonathan Peachey-Score who took his goal tally to 31 for the season.

Blunsdon started the day in fourth place in the table and were looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at leaders Trowbridge Town and end the day in third place with a win over visitors Shrewton United. Things did not quite go to plan. Visitors Shrewton took an early lead through Sam Webb, but Blunsdon were back on level terms with just 15 minutes on the clock, Lee Toomey scoring a fine individual effort to make it 1-1. They were, however, to find themselves behind again at the break, Aiden Compton scoring a second to give the South Wiltshire side a 2-1 half time lead. It got worse for Blunsdon in the second half when Sam Webb scored a second of the game to put his side 3-1 up. However, Blunsdon were to get themselves back into the game in spectacular style, Nick Craft performing an audacious overhead kick from the edge of the box from a cross from Jamie Pidgeon to make it 3-2. The same player then scored his second of the game 15 minutes from time, this time the goal was a scrappy one, but they all count. The same player then had a glorious chance to win the game for his side, presented with a free header he proceeded to place the header over the bar and his side had to settle for a share of the spoils in a high scoring game as it finished 3-3. With Wroughton winning Blunsdon slipped a place to fifth whilst Shrewton United remain just outside the bottom three.

Kintbury Rangers have fallen behind with their league fixtures due to their County Cup exploits and have slipped down to seventh place in the table . With Pewsey Vale without a game this week Kintbury were looking to climb back into the top six with a win away at Odd Down (Bath) Development. It started well for them with Charlie Allsop putting them 1-0 up. The home side Odd Down responded well to going behind and put Kintbury under immense pressure as they sought an equaliser. Not for the first time this season the visitors had goalkeeper Kyle Clough to thank for being able to go into the break with their lead intact, Clough pulling off several saves to deny the home side. Odd Down did get themselves back on level terms though midway through the second half, Jack O’ Brien netting for his sixth of the season. Kintbury then had Liam Cusack sent off fifteen minutes from time and whilst Odd Down continued to put the visitors under heavy pressure they were unable to add to their tally and had to settle for a point. Kintbury knew it was a point gained rather than two points dropped in a game they were fortunate to leave with a share of the spoils.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development had disappointed manager Mark Simpkins in their last outing losing 3-0 away at bottom of the table Melksham Town Reserves.  Manager Simpkins was hoping for a reaction from his young side and he got just that as goals from Harry Bunce, George Lance, Kevin Lartey and Charlie Stammers secured a 4-0 home win over visitors Marlborough Town who travelled to the Sustain Stadium missing a number of key players but correctly prioritised their first team fixture.

Kevin Lartey and U18 player Charlie Stammers (picture courtesy of Steve Green) who were both on target in Royal W. Bassett T Dev's 4-0 win over Marlborough Town.

Salisbury FC Development had fallen into the bottom three ahead of today’s game as a result of points deductions for games where they had been unable to field a side. They were not in the bottom three for long though as by five-o-clock a 4-1 win over Malmesbury Victoria Development had seen them climb four places in the table to tenth spot. They inflicted the damage on the Malmesbury defence in the first half as three unanswered goals put them 3-0 up at the break. Whilst Malmesbury pulled one back from the penalty spot through James Archer, Salisbury added a fourth to make sure of all three points. Abdul Razakz led the way for Salisbury scoring twice, with an eighth of the season from Dyllan Roocroft and one from Harry Mealing ensuring that climb back up the table for Mark Winter’s young side.

Division 1

The top four were once again involved in games against each other in Division 1. League leaders Kingsdown Lions travelled to Ludgershall Sports having twice defeated Ludgershall 4-0 at home, but this was the first of the two fixtures to be played at Ludgershall and a much closer affair was anticipated, and it proved to be just that. In the end a solitary goal from Ludgershall’s Marcus Read was all that separated the two sides as Ludgershall got their own promotion challenge back on track after a run of three defeats. They remain in fourth place a point behind Devizes Town Reserves but have a game in hand over Devizes.

Second placed Larkhall Athletic Development took full advantage of the Lions defeat, winning their game against third placed Devizes Town Reserves 3-0 to move to within six points of Kingsdown with four games in hand. The game was very balanced for the opening 15 minutes before the home side started to dominate possession. Matt Bowman struck a volley on the half hour mark to give Larkhall the lead. Thierry Swaby then doubled their lead just before the hour mark with a quality finish. Ten minutes later Larkhall were awarded a penalty after Finley Norris was pulled down in the box and a penalty awarded. Having been brought down Norris tried to retrieve the ball from the defender  to take the penalty kick and in doing so the referee felt his actions were violent and he was subsequently shown a red card putting Larkhall down to ten men. Captain Charlie Saunders dispatched the penalty to secure the three points for Larkhall and complete a league and cup double having also knocked Devizes out of the Fountain Trophies Cup. The two sides have still to meet each other three more times in the league in the last two months of the season as both look to secure a promotion spot to the Premier Division next season.

The other game in Division One saw the bottom two in opposition with Pewsey Vale Development entertaining Purton. Purton were still looking for their first points of the season and despite taking an early lead they once again fell to another defeat but will be encouraged by their first half showing which saw them holding Pewsey 1-1 at the break. Both first half goals came from the penalty spot, Ethan Blake firing Purton ahead, with Pewsey player-manager Kierron Kiff netting the equaliser. Pewsey had much the better of things after the break helping themselves to four unanswered goals, James Salkeld bagging a brace with further goals coming through Jude Cawley and Jake Force-Jones as Pewsey ran out 5-1 winners. For Pewsey that was their first win in nine games and they will be hoping that they can now put a winning run together to see out the remainder of the season.

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4 March 2023