Devizes Town went into their game against Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development looking to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points and put the pressure on Trowbridge Town. Opponents Royal Wootton Bassett came into the game on the back of a tough run of results which had seen them lose six in a row and fail to score in their last five. All the games apart from the defeat to Pewsey had been close run affairs and they were in need of some luck as they went in search of a win which would confirm their safety. They were forced into playing an outfield player in goal due to a keeper injury crisis, first team manager Sam Collier donning the gloves. The first half saw the two sides cancel each other with the two defences generally preventing any real chances of note. The most notable action of the first half came when Devizes Town’s Jack Baker was put in the sin bin by the referee for something he said when disputing a decision. Once in the Devizes technical area Devizes manager said something to Baker that then triggered an altercation between the two resulting in Baker leaving the ground before his ten minutes in the sin bin were up, with the Devizes physio also leaving at the same time. Devizes survived the ten minutes of their temporary numerical disadvantage but were forced into making a substitution to restore the eleven men as the two sides turned round with the game still looking for its first goal.

Devizes went close to getting the opener within a minute of the restart, Jamie Walters headed back across goal and Paul Gittens headed over when unmarked from the edge of the six-yard box and probably should have done better. Jamie Walters also had a golden chance from a ball played across the six-yard box but failed to make a decent connection when it looked like he would score. Devizes were reduced to ten men for the second time in the game, and this time the reduction in number was permanent, when Olly Clarke saw a deserved red for a poor challenge from behind on Zach Pettifer. With Devizes down to ten men the home side started to push for the opener and Matt Bennett got the wrong side of the Devizes back line but saw his shot well saved by Jack Cross in the Devizes goal. It was then the turn of stand-in keeper Collier to keep his side on level terms, Rhys Talmash linking up with Kieron Gleed but before hitting a shot which was saved by Collier. It was end to end now and Cross once again saved well from Bennett on 70 minutes. Just as it looked like the two sides would have to settle for a point apiece for the second time this season the deadlock was finally broken a couple of minutes from time. A corner to the edge of the box was headed goalwards by Scott Chilcott and found substitute James Close who headed home for the three points that ensured safety for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development, ending that run of defeats. The win for the home side also put a huge dent in Devizes Town’s title aspirations. Despite the defeat they remain two points clear at the top put have played two more games than Trowbridge Town.

Action from RWBT Dev v Devizes Town

The difference of opinion between Devizes manager & Jack Baker which led to Baker leaving the ground during his sin bin break

Trowbridge Town were taking a break from the league title race, playing their re-arranged Fountain Trophies quarter final tie with a waterlogged pitch having put paid to the first scheduled fixture. They were up against a Wroughton side who are the only side other than Devizes to have beaten Trowbridge in the league this season. There was to be no repeat of that defeat in the cup encounter. Goals from Charlie Barber from the penalty spot after a foul on Conor McKay and a free kick from Liam Milburn put Trowbridge 2-0 up. However, Wroughton pulled one back just before half time, a shot from distance from the Division’s leading scorer Jonathan Peachey-Score giving Wroughton a foothold back in the game as the teams turned round with Trowbridge having a slender lead. Trowbridge extended their lead just before the hour mark, Conor McKay getting on the end of an Adam Shipman low cross. The game was finally put beyond Wroughton with the award of a second penalty, James Rustell putting the spot kick away to make the final score 4-1 to Trowbridge. Trowbridge will now be away to Division One champions Larkhall Athletic Development on Tuesday night in the semi final which should be a fascinating contest between two sides having excellent seasons.

The action this weekend in the Premier Division had got underway on Friday night under the lights at the Flying Monk Ground when Malmesbury Victoria Development hosted a Pewsey Vale side who came into the game on the back of an impressive run which had seen them win eight games in a row. It was visitors Pewsey who went in front on 24 minutes, an attempted clearance by the Malmesbury keeper going in off the head of Pewsey skipper Liam Edmondson. It remained just the one goal at the break but Malmesbury were back on level terms within two minutes of the restart, a smart finish from Harrison Archer for his third goal of the week and seventh of the campaign for the Development side. That was to be the end of the scoring as Pewsey’s winning run was finally brought to an end, but they are still on an unbeaten run which now extends to ten games but their lead over the chasing pack was reduced to six points.

Blunsdon United had drawn 1-1 with Odd Down (Bath) Development on their debut at senior level back in August. Since that game the two sides have had contrasting fortunes. Blunsdon started the day in fourth place in the table whilst Odd Down were in the bottom three and battling relegation. The game on Saturday went very much to form with Blunsdon hitting eight goals for the second time this season, with Odd Down scoring three of their own in reply in a high-scoring encounter at Sutton Park. Leading scorer Eliot Wheatley led the way for Blunsdon helping himself to his third hat-trick of the season, Jamie Pidgeon bagged a brace and there were further goals from Nick Craft, Robert Curtis and Kane Wheatley. The goals in reply from Odd Down (Bath) Development were scored by Ryan Rudland, Finlay Little and a sixth of the season from Tyrone Mulholland. 

Eliot Wheatley whose hat-trick saw him move onto 19 for the season

(picture courtesy of Alex White Sports Photos)

Back in October Frome Collegians had defeated Salisbury Development 2-0 at the Ray Mac and today were looking to complete a league double over Mark Winter’s young side. Since that earlier season encounter Salisbury had seen an uptick in their fortunes and ahead of Saturday’s game had moved away from the bottom three to sit in tenth place in the table and close to having secured another season in the Premier Division. It was a tight affair in the return game which, in the end, was settled by a solitary goal from Frome Collegians Dean Caslake having been set up by leading scorer Jack Newman. The win for Frome Collegians saw them move above Wroughton into fifth spot in the table.

Bottom of the table Stratton Juniors had started the day four points adrift at the bottom of the table ahead of the visit from Kintbury Rangers. Stratton had lost both previous encounters with Kintbury including a narrow 1-0 defeat back in October. Neil Lee’s side knew that nothing less than a win would do in their battle to avoid the drop and they did not disappoint the manager, putting in their best performance of the season to secure a vital 3-0 win. Star of the show was Corey Cullen who scored all three Stratton goals to take his total for the season to 19. The win saw Stratton move to within a point of Marlborough Town and two of Odd Down (Bath) Development with Stratton set to meet Marlborough on the first May Bank Holiday Monday. Whilst still in trouble they have given themselves half a chance of getting out of the bottom three but probably need to win all three of their final three games to do so.

Corey Cullen another player to move onto 19 for the season with a hat-trick

Division One

The first champions of the 2022-23 Season in any of the five divisions in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League are Larkhall Athletic Development who knew that they just needed to avoid defeat away at Pewsey Vale Development to be crowned champions of Division 1. They had won all three of the previous meetings with Pewsey this season and they made sure of a full house with a comfortable 5-1 away win. Two more goals for Thierry Swaby who took his total for the season to 13, with the other goals coming from Harvey Kendrick, Angus Williamson and a 23^rd of the season from captain Charlie Saunders. Larkhall also scored the consolation goal for Pewsey, the own goal making the final score 5-1. Larkhall will now test themselves against another Premier Division opponent on Tuesday night when Trowbridge Town visit in that semi final in the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup, with the winner set to meet Devizes Town in the final at Corsham on May 13^th. Congratulations to Larkhall on their league title and well done also to Kingsdown Lions who have pushed them all the way but have had to settle for runners-up spot in the end. Both teams are set to strengthen the Premier Division next season..

Larkhall Athletic Development champions of Division 1 Season 2022-23

The battle for the final promotion spot is a lot clearer tonight after the crunch match at Nursteed Road between fourth placed Devizes Town Reserves and the side just above them in the table, Ludgershall Sports. An impressive showing from Ludgershall saw them return home with all three points after a comfortable 5-0 win and they are almost there in terms of securing that third promotion place following the win. Devizes trail Ludgershall by six points, Ludgershall have a much superior goal difference and Devizes final two games are both against the champions Larkhall Athletic. Ludgershall will make certain of that promotion position if they avoid defeat in their final game next week against Pewsey Vale Development irrespective of whether Devizes can defeat Larkhall next week. The Division’s leading scorer Luke Holden once again led the way for Ludgershall, bagging a brace, Cameron Metcalfe, Lewis Pickernell and Marcus Read with the other Ludgershall goals.

Two more goals for the Division'sleading scorer Luke Holden

22 April 2023