This weekend’s action in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League got underway on Friday night under lights at Malmesbury Victoria where the Development side’s opponents were league leaders Wroughton. It was both an even and entertaining affair all night but with the two defences coming out on top the game just lacked goals and the two sides had to settle for a point apiece following a 0-0 draw. Unfortunately, Kaz Bedry, one of the assistant referees, had a dizzy spell and collapsed at the game. The referee, Steve Oakey, and the Malmesbury bench did brilliantly in caring for him and making sure he was ok. Malmesbury provided a replacement assistant referee for the rest of the game as Kaz could not continue. After the game the Malmesbury physio advised that it was unwise for Kaz to drive home, so the referee Steve Oakey went from Malmesbury to Swindon, to take Kaz home, and then went back to his home in Cheltenham - eventually arriving home about midnight. A big thank you to both Steve and the Malmesbury bench for their efforts on the night to make sure that Kaz was looked after. It is pleasing to report that Kaz was given the all clear by the hospital on Friday night and spoke with Referee’s Secretary Darren O’Neil on Saturday and hopes to be back on the line in a couple of weeks.

After their impressive debut season in the league Blunsdon have once again started the season well and went into their trip to take on Melksham Town Reserves at the Oakfield Stadium unbeaten in their opening two games. That unblemished record was maintained but not before an early scare, Liam Curtis putting Melksham 1-0 up early on. Blunsdon quickly got themselves back on level terms when Danny Hale restored parity firing in from the penalty spot to make it 1-1. It was to be Blunsdon who went into the half-time break with a slender advantage, Harry Hillerby scoring his first of the season to give Blunsdon a 2-1 half time lead. The second half belonged to Blunsdon and Hale in particular who scored two more to complete his hat-trick in a 4-1 win which saw Blunsdon move level on points at the top of the table with Wroughton and they are now unbeaten in three.

Just behind the top two are Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development who picked up their second win of the season with a comfortable 5-0 success away at Frome Collegians. Last season Frome had defeated their opponents three times, twice in the league by large margins and also in the Fountain Trophies Cup but there was to be no repeat in this season's first meeting of the two sides. With the normal management team not available for the game, Gavin Cook and player George Lance were put in temporary charge of the visitors, and they oversaw an impressive performance that avenged those three defeats last season. The five goals were shared around the team with Kevin Lartey, Ben Spackman, Mani Mesas, Zach Pettifer and Chris Head all scoring one each. Head normally plays for the Veterans’ side in midweek and is the latest Vets’ player to take advantage of the relaxation of the eligibility rules which allows him to play in both competitions.

The top match of the day on paper was the game at Woodmarsh where reigning champions Trowbridge Town were playing their first home game of the season with Kintbury Rangers, one of the three sides in the Premier Division at the start of the day who had a 100% winning record, the visitors. The game lived up to its billing as the two sides served up an entertaining encounter for the neutral.  It started well for the visitors as Terry Paton put them 1-0 up as early as the fourth minute with a headed goal. The lead did not last long though as Trowbridge were back on level terms within two minutes, Liam Milburn seeing his free kick deflected past the Kintbury keeper. Trowbridge went in front for the first time in the game on 12 minutes, Leigh Rogers curling a powerful shot into the top corner of the net to put Trowbridge 2-1 up. It remained that way until six minutes before half time when Kintbury got themselves back in the game, Jamie-Jardine Lofthouse-Smith evening matters up to see the two sides go into the interval all square at 2-2. George Bendle had been one of the players who had followed Jamie Jordan to Bradford Town midway through last season but has returned to Trowbridge this season. He picked an important game to get his first goal since his return, calmly sending the ball into the bottom corner of the net past the Kintbury keeper from just inside the area to make it 3-2. Kintbury went close to taking a share of the points late on when a free kick looked like it was heading for the net but Trowbridge keeper Kierran Ramsey did well to tip it over to maintain his sides lead. Adam Shipman then went close for Trowbridge at the other end as they looked to put the game finally beyond Kintbury but there was to be no further goals. It did not end well for Kintbury as in the dying moments of the game their keeper was dismissed, and Trowbridge safely saw out the closing moments to secure their first points of the season. Kintbury Rangers will look to bounce back from this defeat when they entertain leaders Wroughton in midweek, a side they have had some great battles against in recent seasons, whilst Trowbridge take on Melksham Town Reserves at the Oakfield Stadium.

Amesbury Town had got their return to the Wiltshire Senior League underway in midweek when they had lost narrowly against Pewsey Vale and were keen to register their first points when they entertained a young Calne Town Reserves side. Despite a battling performance from the Calne side, which could have seen them get something out of the game if they had taken the chances that came their way, they found a home side who were clinical themselves in front of goal and Calne were beaten 3-0 in the end. On target for Amesbury were Ben Morris, who bagged a brace, and Tyler Brockway. Next up for Amesbury is a midweek local derby against Ludgershall Sports.

Shrivenham had opened their inaugural campaign in the Wiltshire Senior League in midweek away at Malmesbury, going down 3-0 and were another side looking to get their first points on the board when they entertained a young Salisbury Development side at The Ian Richardson Football Ground. It was to prove to be a good afternoon for Glenn Horsell’s Shrivenham side. Leading 1-0 at the break thanks to a Charlie Hampson goal, Shrivenham hit four unanswered goals after the restart to run out 5-0 winners, Brad Hirst and Finnlay Hopkins both scoring twice for the home side who moved into the top half of the table as a result of their win. They will look to build on that first win in midweek when they travel to Calne Town Reserves.

After a good end to last season and a reasonable pre-season, Shrewton United had come unstuck in their opener last Saturday going down 6-2 away at Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development on the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. They were keen to make amends for last week’s lack lustre showing when they once again made the trip to the North of the county to play Kingsdown in Swindon. Lewis Cross and his brother Jordan had both scored in that defeat the previous week and the two were once again involved in what turned out to be Shrewton’s only goal of the game, Jordan setting up Lewis to give Shrewton a 1-0 lead. It was to remain that way until right at the end when Kingsdown pulled one back deep into injury time, Aiden Miller scoring the vital goal for Kingsdown to give his side a share of the spoils. Hard on Shrewton who had looked like they would come away with all three points but in the end had to settle for just the one.

The final game of the weekend in the Premier Division was in the south of the county where Ludgershall Sports hosted Odd Down (Bath) Development. Ludgershall led 3-1 with the game deep into injury time when fighting between a player from each side, forced referee Luke Faby to call matters to a halt. The disappointing incident will no doubt now have to be dealt with by the Wiltshire and Somerset FA’s. In terms of the earlier events in the game, Dalitso Mandson, Luke Holden and Jaiden Johnson had scored the three Ludgershall goals, Kyle Norris with the Odd Down reply.

Division One leaders Faringdon Town played host to Wroughton Development at Tucker Park looking to pick up their third straight win since joining the league. It was Faringdon who took the lead on the quarter hour mark, Josh Forth heading in from a corner for his second of the season. Despite several good chances, which included Forth hitting the post with one effort, it remained just the one goal advantage at the break. Faringdon doubled their lead within the first ten minutes of the second half, Adam Sly scoring from the penalty spot after Forth was brought down in the box. The game was effectively put beyond Wroughton when Kyle Bowyer controlled a Harry Platt cross on his chest and then fired in to make it 3-0 just after the hour mark. There was no letting up from Faringdon though and they proceeded to score three more in the final 20 minutes. Kyle Bowyer bagged a second before Adam Prudman made it 5-0 seven minutes from time after good work from substitute Jack Tomes. There was still time for one more, Jamie Tuck firing home a minute from time to complete a 6-0 win for Faringdon who remain top of the table on goal difference having scored 13 in their three victories so far, having also not conceded a goal in 270 minutes of football. Next up for Faringdon is an away trip to Lambourn Sports on Tuesday night.

Purton had matched Faringdon in terms of points accumulated in their opening two fixtures but had won their first two games against Bratton and Cricklade Town by single goal margins in what had been two close encounters. On Saturday they not only matched Faringdon in terms of points but also goals as they also secured a 6-0 win of their own with player-manager Matt Bennett leading the way firing in a hat-trick to add to the winner he had scored against Cricklade Town in midweek. Further goals from Levi Cox, Ashton Glover and Ethan Miller completed the scoring for Purton who, like Faringdon, are now three wins from three. Purton will look to make it four straight wins in midweek when they host Stratton Juniors whilst Pewsey Vale Dev will look to bounce back against Shrivenham Dev.

Park United missed the opportunity to join the top two on a trio of victories when they were beaten for the first time this season away at Cricklade Town, goals from Josh Riggs and Thomas Whitham securing Cricklade’s first points of the season in a 2-1 win, Charlie Norman with the Park United goal. Park United will now have to wait until Saturday to bounce back from this defeat as they are the team without a game in midweek, whilst Cricklade travel to Bishops Cannings.

On a day of 6-0 wins in the division, Devizes Town Reserves also hit six away at struggling Lambourn Sports, Josh Madle scoring twice with Ollie Barnes, Jamie Cunning, Jordan Kirk and Harry Drewitt all getting on the score sheet as Devizes picked up their second win in the week. The win saw Devizes move into third spot in the early table, three points behind the top two. This coming Tuesday Devizes entertain Bratton in what should be a good game between two sides fancied to do well this season. The fixture scheduling has not been kind to Bratton who are still looking for their first points of the season after losing their opening  two games. For Lambourn it does not easier as they have that visit from league leaders Faringdon to contend with.

Joining Devizes and Park United on six points are Marlborough Town who are also the third side in the division to still have a 100% winning record. Having defeated Shrivenham 7-1 in their opening game, they made it two from two with an impressive 5-2 away win at Stratton Juniors in a game between the two sides who were relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season. Both Kieron Maidment and Daniel Burke scored twice for Marlborough, Luke Little with their other goal. After hitting five in midweek Corey Cullen was once again on target for Stratton, Sam Lawrie with the other goal for the Swindon based side. Of the two relegated sides it is Marlborough who look the most likely to bounce back at the first attempt as that is now two defeats in their opening three games for Stratton Juniors. Marlborough will look to make it three from three in midweek when they travel to Kintbury Rangers Development.

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The final game of the weekend was at Green Lane Devizes where Bishops Cannings and Shrivenham Development shared the points after a 1-1 draw thanks to two second half goals. Szyman Racmak who has come through their Under 18 side scoring for Bishops Cannings and Ryan Bragg with the Shrivenham reply as Shrivenham picked up their first point of the season.

19 August 2023