The Saturday of the Bank Holiday weekend certainly served up plenty of goals in the two divisions of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with a total of 76 goals scored. Most prolific in the Premier Division were league leaders Kintbury Rangers who smashed a double figure score against an out-of-sorts Shrewton United. Ironically Shrewton had taken the lead, but Kintbury then scored three times to go in 3-1 up at the break to put themselves in a great position to retain leadership of the division. Few would have predicted the avalanche of goals in the second half as the game produced nine more with Kintbury eventually winning 10-3. Will Frank, who had brought Kintbury level after Shrewton had scored that opener, helped himself to a hat-trick, George Armstrong and Ross Lawrence both bagged a brace and there was one each for Jack Alfonso, James Patton and Jesse Bowers. The three consolation goals for Shrewton were scored by Jordan Cross, Charlie Utterson and Lewis Woodhead. Shrewton will be hoping to bounce back in midweek when they travel to Ludgershall Sports, but they will make that journey occupying the bottom place in the table after this heavy defeat. Next up for Kintbury is a tasty looking Bank Holiday Monday fixture against Pewsey Vale.

Pewsey Vale warmed up for that game on Monday with a convincing 5-0 away win at Odd Down (Bath) Development to make it three wins from three to sit three-points behind Kintbury Rangers in third place with two games in hand. Pewsey have a nice blend of experience and talented youngsters this season and it was two of the old heads who found their shooting boots, James Guthrie scoring twice to take his total for the season to five and veteran Ryan Banks also getting on the score sheet. The other Pewsey goals came through Andy Rossiter and Jude Cawley. As well as the goals manager Craig Kent will also no doubt have been pleased with his side’s third straight clean sheet which that record now set to face its sternest test with that visit from Kintbury on Monday

Sitting between Kintbury Rangers and Pewsey Vale in the table are Amesbury Town who, having scored seven in midweek, fired in another six on Saturday against opponents Wroughton. Amesbury look like they intend to make an immediate return to Step 6 of the National League System and have now won three games after a narrow loss to Pewsey Vale in their opener. Wroughton, who started the season with a couple of wins have had a particularly tough week having conceded five goals at Kintbury Rangers in midweek and now another six on Saturday. Cameron Hoyle put Amesbury ahead on 12 minutes before Kieron Lebrun doubled their lead midway through the half. Kieon Diaz-Benetiz added a third to send Amesbury into the break three goals to the good. A second of the game from Cameron Hoyle just before the hour mark ended any chance of a Wroughton comeback and further goals from Joshua Moore and one from former Shrewton player Jake Connor rounded off another good afternoon for Amesbury. There was still time for a late consolation for Wroughton, Francesco Michienzi getting his second goal of the season as it finished 6-1, a result which leaves Amesbury in second place in the table ahead of a trip to Salisbury in midweek.

Last season’s champions Trowbridge Town have not made the best of starts to the defence of their title but went into Saturday’s home encounter still with a long unbeaten record at Woodmarsh that stretched to 33 games in all competitions, their last defeat on home soil coming way back in August 2021. They were up against a Blunsdon side who had made a decent start which had seen them unbeaten in their opening three games and sat second in the table ahead of their trip to Woodmarsh. It was to prove to be a tight affair all afternoon. The first real chance of the game went the way of the home side, James Rustell firing in a shot from 20 yards which was well saved by Harrison Ellis in the Blunsdon goal. Trowbridge created another good opportunity on 25 minutes, when Finn Young’s shot from just outside the six-yard box went agonisingly wide following a Grant Gunning corner. Shortly after Trowbridge had claims for a penalty after George Bendle went down in the box but these were waived away by referee Luke Fabry. Trowbridge continued to create the better chances with two falling the way of James Rustell. He fired just over ten minutes before the break and then headed just over from a George Bendle cross as the teams turned round with the game still looking for its first goal. Trowbridge continued to knock on the door early in the second half, Alfie Francis connecting with a Ryan Baggs free kick but Ellis in the Blunsdon goal reacting quickly to deny the home side. Blunsdon’s best chance of the game so far came moments later when a goal bound effort was cleared off the line and it remained 0-0.  Trowbridge did have the ball in the back of the net five minutes into the half, but an offside flag had gone up. Trowbridge had drawn a blank in midweek away at Melksham and it looked like it was going to be another one of those days when a Lewis Wayman from distance came back off the crossbar and George Bendle’s follow-up header was saved by Ellis in the Blunsdon goal. It was not all one-way traffic though Blunsdon going close just before the hour mark, Kierran Ramsey in the Trowbridge goal saving from point blank range to deny the visitors. With the game entering the closing minutes Trowbridge continued to search for that elusive goal, player manager Ryan Baggs firing just over three minutes from time following a free-kick and then George Bendle being put clean through in the final minute but seeing his effort come back off the post and being cleared to safety. After averaging four goals a game in their league matches last season Trowbridge are certainly finding goals hard to come by this season as they had to settle for a point following their second 0-0 draw of the week. Westbury’s Martin Pearce was at the game and his excellent pictures from the match can be found on his flickr page.

Moving up into fourth place in the table are newly promoted Kingsdown. They had started the season with two draws but had picked up their first win in the Premier Division in midweek at Malmesbury. Saturday saw them up against the young Calne Town Reserves side and a storming first half hour saw Kingsdown score four times to effectively secure the points for Adrian Wilkinson’s side. Credit to Calne who responded well to such a poor start and ensured there would be no further goals conceded but the damage had already been done in that blistering start. On target for Kingsdown were Josh Barnfield, Kieran O’Daly, Ollie While and Aiden Miller. Kingsdown will look to extend their unbeaten start to the season on Tuesday when they entertain Shrivenham.

Shrivenham are themselves in decent form. After losing their opening game at Malmesbury, they are now unbeaten in their last three after securing a 3-1 away win at Ludgershall Sports on Saturday. On target for Shrivenham in this one were Brad Hirst, Harry Ayres and Ash Andrews, Luke Holden with the solitary strike for Ludgershall who have now lost two on the spin after an encouraging start to the season following their promotion at the end of last season.

Larkhall Athletic Development were forced to postpone their game the previous week but came into their game with Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development unbeaten in the two games that they have played so far this season. Larkhall got off to a storming start on the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Ground, Harvey Kendrick hitting the cross bar in the very first minute of the match. A lucky escape for the home side. The first chance of the game that came the way of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development was on 15 minutes when Larkhall keeper Oliver Eglon produced a fine save to deny Akeem Stewart from point blank range. Moments later it was the turn of Royal Wootton Bassett Town keeper Dan West to deny the opponents from going in front diving to turn away a powerful shot from Tom Ricketts. A minute later Ricketts went close again his shot from the edge of the box going just the wrong side of the post and into the side netting. The deadlock was finally broken on 23 minutes, and it was a solo effort from Harvey Kendrick, picking up the ball on the edge of the box he twisted and turned past a couple of defenders before firing in from close to the penalty spot for 1-0 to the visitors. There was almost an instant response from RWBT Dev, Stewart being denied by another fine save from Eglon in the Larkhall goal. Having gone close themselves the home side were to fall further behind just after the half hour mark, poor marking at a corner saw captain James Book have space to volley in from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 to Larkhall and it remained that way at the break. Having hit the bar in the opening minute of the first half, Larkhall repeated the feat at the start of the second half, this time it was Tom Ricketts who struck the frame of the goal, the ball bounced down and appeared to cross the line but, unlike the Russian lineman in 66, Kaz Bedry, back running the line after his recent health scare, was not convinced and did not flag for a goal and it remained just the two. Having survived that scare, and just after a heavy downpour, the home side got themselves a foothold back in the game, Nathaniel Bell firing in for his third of the season. Royal Wootton Bassett Town began to have more of the possession but struggled to create any more chances of note due to a well organised and disciplined Larkhall defensive performance. Indeed it was the visitors who went closest to scoring again, Ricketts being denied by the home keeper West with a fine save from another powerful shot 15 minutes from time. So that is now three games unbeaten for Larkhall who look like they are going to challenge at the top end of the table in their first season in the Premier Division.

The final game in the Premier Division was at the Flying Monk where Malmesbury Victoria Development entertained Melksham Town Reserves. Twice the home side went in front only to be pegged back by the visitors. Jacob Pinnell put Malmesbury ahead on 20 minutes with a well taken goal and it remained just the one at the break. However, Melksham were back on level terms within three minutes of the restart, Aaron Masson capitalising on some poor defending to restore parity. It remained all square until the 67^th minute when Malmesbury were awarded a penalty kick which was duly despatched by Josh Harper to make it 2-1 to the home side. The lead would not last too long though as Melksham were back on level terms within four minutes, Sam Dowell firing in after a scramble in the box. That was to be the end of the scoring as the two sides had to settle for a point apiece.

It was top versus second, and the battle of the two teams who had won all of their opening four games in Division One, as Purton travelled to Tucker Park to take on Faringdon Town. Faringdon’s perfect record had seen them win all four games without conceding a goal whilst Purton’s four games had looked a tougher set of fixtures in achieving their perfect start. Whilst this game was just one of 28 games the sides will play this season, both teams knew the psychological importance of getting a result out of the game.  Faringdon got themselves off to a great start when Josh Forth headed in at the far post from a Peter Fletcher corner with just five minutes on the clock. Faringdon then had several chances to extend their lead but it remained 1-0 until three minutes before the break when Purton equalised with their first real chance of the game. A free kick from distance was met by the head of player-manager Matt Bennett to level matters up going into half time and the first goal of the season conceded by the Faringdon defence, as one unblemished record was ended. Faringdon came out for the second half and, as had been the case in the first half, scored early on. Another free kick into the box this time saw Liam Hares get to the ball with his head just before the Purton keeper and make it 2-1 to Faringdon. Both sides created chances in an even contest between what already look to be the top two sides in the division, but it was to be Faringdon who extended their lead 19 minutes from time, Adam Sly setting up Kyle Bowyer for his eighth goal of the season to make it 3-1. Purton had opportunities to reduce the deficit, but it wasn’t until the 89^th minute that they added a second, Alex Hammond getting on the end of a ball and firing past Jack Gibson in the Faringdon goal. There was to be no equaliser though as Faringdon safely saw out the period of added time to register their fifth straight win, inflict a first defeat of the season on Purton, and go clear at the top of the division.

Biggest winners of the day across the two divisions were Park United who smashed 14 goals past a Wroughton Development side who had several players missing but at least played their game, unlike some. Three players, Darren Moss, Lewis McCarron and Mel King all scored hat-tricks with the other goals coming from Charlie Norman, Toby Gingell, Jamie Norman, Josh Hern and Macauley Chamberlain as Park moved up to third spot in the table.

There was an entertaining game at Elcot Lane where Marlborough Town met Devizes Town Reserves. A storming start from the home side saw them take a 3-0 lead but by the interval Devizes had pulled a couple back through a Toby Baker strike and an own goal to get themselves back in the game, with Marlborough having added one more to their total to make it 4-2 at the break. On target for Marlborough in that first half were Charlie Frampton with two, Aaron Presley and Kieran Maidment, an own goal and one from Toby Baker for Devizes. Marlborough were unable to add to their tally in the second half and a goal in the 75^th minute from Liam Moffat gave Devizes hope of getting something out of the game. Just as it looked like Marlborough would hold out for the three points, deep into injury time Moffat scored his second of the game to level matters up and salvage a point for the visitors which had looked improbable at one point in that first half. The five games involving Devizes Town Reserves so far this season have averaged a shade under six goals a game as they were involved in their second high scoring game of the week. The point saw Devizes slip one place in the table to fourth whilst Marlborough sit two places and a point below them.

Pewsey Vale Development bounced back from a heavy defeat last Saturday with a win in midweek and followed that up with a point from their game against Kingsdown Development. Jay Rodden scoring for Pewsey and Harrison Jordan with the Kingsdown goal in the 1-1 draw.

Cricklade Town also returned to winning ways after their defeat at Bishops Cannings in midweek with a 2-0 home success over Lambourn Sports, but they were made to work hard for the points by an improving Lambourn side. Goals from Gergo Komjati and Josh Riggs secured the points for Cricklade, but those first points of the season cannot be too far away for Sports after a tough set of opening fixtures.

Stratton Juniors have not made the best of starts to life in Division One but picked up their second victory of the season with a 4-2 home success over Bishops Cannings. Corey Cullen had scored all the goals in their only other win so far this season and he repeated the feat in this one, scoring all four goals as he took his tally for the season into double figures after just five games, Charlie Swain with both goals for Bishops Cannings.

27 August 2023