The big game of the day in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League was at Kintbury Recreation Ground where the league leaders Kintbury Rangers met second in the table Amesbury Town. With manager Danny Langford away at a wedding he left his two assistants in charge for what looked to be Rangers most difficult game of the season so far. Kintbury started the brighter of the two teams and went close as early as the fifth minute, Will Frank beating three Amesbury defenders in a mazy run before getting a shot away which was saved with his feet by Amesbury keeper Mike Horne. Two minutes later it was the visitors who had their first opportunity of the game, a poor clearance from Kintbury keeper Charlie McCready fell to Cameron Hoyle but his powerful shot went just wide of the goal. Amesbury keeper Horne was once again called on to save with his feet in the ninth minute. Amesbury actually had a corner, but the corner was cleared and a quick break out of defence saw the speedy Tom Mahoney get behind the Amesbury back line and became the second Kintbury player to be denied by the feet of Horne. Shortly after Carl Jenner had the best chance of the game so far when the ball was fed to him following a corner, but he fired well over when really he should have done better with the opportunity. It was certainly an action-packed game, but it continued to be the home side who were creating the better opportunities. They went close again on 25 minutes, Horne holding a powerful shot from Will Frank from the edge of the box at the second attempt, getting to the ball just before Kintbury’s Jake Allan. The deadlock was finally broken ten minutes before half time, and it was no surprise that the goal went the way of the home side. A good move down the left flank saw George Armstrong get to the bi-line and put in a sublime cross from a tight angle which was met by the head of Allan for 1-0 to the home side. Kintbury went close to getting a second when Marcus Tyler and Jack Allan combined well down the left-hand side but the cross into the box was headed well over by Jenner and it remained 1-0 at the break.

Kintbury went close to extending their lead six minutes into the second half, George Armstrong, who caused the visitors problems all game when he ran at them with the ball at his feet, cutting in from the left and firing a shot that went into the side netting. Five minutes later the ball found its way to him again, this time 30 yards out, but this time his shot at goal sailed way over the bar. Two minutes later Kintbury had shouts for a penalty, but nothing was given and it remained 1-0. Twenty minutes into the half Amesbury thought they were back on level terms; Ally McCracken threaded a ball between the Kintbury back line for Ben Morris to run onto. It looked like he had timed his run to perfection, and he fired the ball into the far corner of the net but unfortunately for Amesbury an assistant referee’s flag saw the goal struck off. A minute later the game took an ugly turn when a melee saw referee Graham Colwill have to separate players from both sides and on another day there may well have been red cards shown but in the end there was just a single yellow shown for Amesbury captain Jack Vallis. Amesbury continued to push for the equaliser and eventually it came from a dead ball situation. Awarded a free kick just outside the box on the right hand side, Kieran LeBrun curled a shot into the far bottom corner of the net to level matters up at 1-1. Having lost their lead Kintbury sought to regain it quickly from a free kick of their own at the other end but Will Frank could not match the Amesbury effort, firing the free kick way over the bar. Two minutes later Amesbury found themselves down to ten men when captain Jack Vallis was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident involving Will Frank which left the Kintbury player on the ground needing medical attention.

Kintbury sought to take advantage of the extra man and went close ten minutes from the end. A ball over the top found the influential George Armstrong who hit the ball on the volley, and it looked goal bound until Horne in the Amesbury goal acrobatically turned it over the bar. Kintbury then had a gilt edged chance from the resulting corner , the ball falling to substitute Ali Thorp with the goal at his mercy but his attempt at goal went wide of the post and it remained 1-1. Kintbury sensed a winner was possible and a shot into the box was blocked by Amesbury substitute Jack Langdown with Kintbury appeals that it had struck his hand being waved away. Three minutes from time Kintbury skipper Carl Jenner met a corner from the right but his powerful header was straight at Horne who saved comfortably. It was not all one way traffic in the closing stages though and Amesbury had another chance from a free kick on the edge of the Kintbury box. This time LeBrun’s effort sailed well wide of the goal and it remained 1-1. With the clock running down there was to be late drama in what had been an enthralling contest. A ball out to the right found George Armstrong who beat his man down the flank and then hit a powerful shot which took a deflection off an Amesbury defender and flew into the net for what proved to be the winner as Kintbury saw out the last few minutes of the game to secure three vital points in the championship race against one of their nearest rivals. Two very good teams who will no doubt be involved in the mix come the end of the season, with both harbouring hopes of returning to Step 6 of the National League System next season. The win for Kintbury saw them open up a four point lead at the top of the table. More pictures from this game will be on the Group Facebook page in due course.

Blunsdon’s first season in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League had seen them finish in an impressive fifth spot, bucking the trend of teams coming up from the Swindon & District League and struggling. They had again made a good start to their second season in the league and ahead of their home game with Salisbury Development were unbeaten in their opening five games. Danny Hale had registered a second hat-trick of the season in midweek, and he was once again amongst the goals against Salisbury, scoring twice in a comprehensive 6-0 win. Nick Craft also bagged two as he opened his account for the season, Lee Toomey and John O’Donogue with the other two Blunsdon goals. The win saw Blunsdon climb above Amesbury Town into second place.

Pewsey Vale were keen to bounce back from their first defeat of the season inflicted on them by Kintbury Rangers on Bank Holiday Monday but were up against a side who had not lost on home soil since 28 August 2021, in Trowbridge Town. The game started slowly but Pewsey did have the ball in the net on 18 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside. Three minutes later Trowbridge went close to getting themselves in front. Good link up play between George Bendle, Jack Sterling and Liam Milburn setting up Bendle for a shot which was tipped brilliantly round the post by the Pewsey keeper Louis Latouche. A shot from the resulting corner was then cleared off the line by Pewsey, who countered but couldn’t take their chance, and Kierran Ramsey was able to make a comfortable save. It was end to end stuff for the rest of the first half, with player-manager Ryan Baggs seeing a powerful shot go just over the bar, before Pewsey hit the bar via a deflection off Grant Gunning – Ramsey was able to save the follow up. A goal was coming and it finally went the way of home side Trowbridge. A through ball from Milburn found Bendle on the edge of the box. The Trowbridge striker beat his marker before firing it in low and in off the far post from an angle. The lead did not last long though, James Guthrie scoring from a well taken free kick that gave Ramsey in the Trowbridge goal no chance. It remained all square at the break. Whilst it had been Pewsey who had a goal disallowed in the first half, in the second half it was the turn of Trowbridge to have a goal struck off, Bendle putting the ball in the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed due to a foul in the build-up. On 71 minutes Milburn went close for Trowbridge firing a shot that went under the keeper Latouche from a tight angle, but the post rescuing Pewsey as it remained all square. Pewsey then struck what proved to be the winner Andy Rossiter getting behind the Trowbridge defence to score a second for the visitors. There was still time for further chances at both ends but that was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring as Pewsey picked up another impressive away win, having already won at Amesbury Town this season, to emphasise their realistic title ambitions this season. The win for Pewsey saw them draw level on points with Amesbury Town with a game in hand, whilst Trowbridge slipped to eighth spot.

Royal Wootton Basset Town Development were keen to return to winning ways after two single goal defeats at the hands of Larkhall Athletic Development and Melksham Town Reserves. They travelled to the south of the county to take on a Ludgershall Sports side who had won in midweek. A storming first half performance saw them lead 3-0 at the break thanks to goals from Max Spackman, Ackeem Stewart and Finley Smith. Ludgershall pulled one back through leading scorer Luke Holden but a fourth from Nathanial Bell ensured it was Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development who would return home with all three points courtesy of a 4-1 win that saw them climb to seventh place in the table.

After starting the season with two victories Wroughton had gone four games without a win ahead of their visit to Shrewton United. In midweek they had let a three-goal lead slip to draw with Calne Town Reserves but were hopeful of getting their season back on track against a Shrewton United side who sat bottom of the table with just one point from their opening four games. All of those four games had been played away from home due to cricket and they were looking to get their first win of the season on home soil. It was to be the home side who went in front deep into the first half, Lewis Cross with his fourth goal of the season putting his side ahead. The lead did not last long though as Jack Allan brought Wroughton back on level terms within a minute of the Shrewton goal to make it 1-1 at the break. The second half saw both teams create several chances to go ahead but it was to be the home side who eventually got a second goal, Jordan Cross with his second of the season. This proved to be the winning goal for his side as Shrewton ran out 2-1 winners extending Wroughton’s run of games without a win to five. The first win of the season for Shrewton saw them climb out of the bottom three whilst Wroughton, who like Shrewton have also had to play most of their games away from home due to cricket, slipped to ninth and will be hoping that their return to the Weir Field on Tuesday night, when they entertain Blunsdon, will see a return to winning ways for them.

Calne Town Reserves were looking to build on that late comeback in midweek against Wroughton when they entertained Malmesbury Victoria Development at Bremhill View. It was to prove to be a good afternoon for the young Calne side in what turned out to be the highest scoring game in the Premier Division this weekend, with Calne winning 6-3. Sean Bailey, Eddie Summers and Luke Masero all scored twice for Calne with Josh Harper, Lewis King and Rob Collier replying for the visitors. The victory saw Calne Town Reserves climb three places in the table to eleventh spot ahead of tough looking midweek trip to Larkhall Athletic Development. Malmesbury Victoria are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Frome Collegians at the Flying Monk.

Melksham Town Reserves had picked up their first win of the season in midweek and travelled to Shrivenham looking to extend an unbeaten run that now stretched to three games. Shrivenham had lost narrowly in midweek against Kingsdown but had won their only other home game played and were looking to make it two from two on home soil. Shrivenham created plenty of good chances in the game but found themselves 3-0 down, Oliver Crosby-Clarke scoring twice for the visitors and Jake Dodge with the other goal. Bradley Hirst pulled one back for Shrivenham and then added a second with his fifth goal of the season, but an equaliser proved elusive as it finished 3-2 to Melksham and a second win on the spin for Justin Flowers side. The win saw Melksham move up three places in the table to tenth spot, climbing above their defeated opponents.

It was not a good afternoon for the two Premier Division sides playing in the First Round of the Somerset Senior Cup as both Frome Collegians and Odd Down Development fell to defeats. Frome Collegians were at home to Somerset County League Division Two side Banwell who had started the season with three straight defeats in the league. They found their form in the cup though winning 6-2 at the Old Showfield as Frome’s tough start to the season continued. Odd Down (Bath) Development also fell to defeat away at Cutters Friday, another Somerset County League Division Two side who had lost their opening three league games, 5-2 the score in this one, Kyle Norris with both Odd Down goals. This leaves just Larkhall Athletic Development as the league’s only remaining representative in the competition, their scheduled tie against Westland Sports Reserves having been awarded to Larkhall.

The headline makers in Division One are Lambourn Sports who picked up their first points of the season following a 6-1 home win over bottom of the table Wroughton Development. Star of the show was Mahmed Suhayb who helped himself to a hat-trick, Sam Broadbank bagged a brace and Maher Ali with the other Lambourn goal. Lambourn had been given a real tough set of fixtures to start the season and that win had been coming with Lambourn having gone close against a good Marlborough Town side in midweek. Whilst picking up that win Lambourn still remain second from bottom but are now within a point of the two sides above them in the table.

Faringdon Town continue to set the pace at the top of the Division One table and picked up another win and their fifth clean sheet of the season with a 5-0 win away at Pewsey Vale Development. The damage was done in the first 25 minutes as goals from Jamie Tuck, Liam Hares, Jamie Broadfield and Harry Timbrell gave Faringdon a 4-0 lead which they took into the break. With the win effectively already in the bag at half time they took their foot off the gas in the second half and were only able to add one more goal, substitute Adam Rudman scoring the fifth eight minutes from the end. That is now seven from seven for Faringdon who opened up a six-point lead at the top of the table with Purton inactive this weekend.

Devizes Town Reserves had the chance to move to within a point of Purton, but visitors Shrivenham Development had not read the script and turned in their best performance of the season to come away with all three points following a 4-2 away win, their first of the campaign. On target for Shrivenham were Matthew Slevin, Bradley Ellis, Thomas Asiedu and Harry Phillips, Harvey Swain and Josh Handle with two Devizes goals. David Giles was there with his camera and David’s excellent photos can be found on the League website page.

The only blemish on Park United’s record so far this season came in their game at Cricklade a fortnight ago, they had three wins and a draw from their other four games. On Saturday they travelled into Swindon to take on a young Kingsdown side who were looking to bounce back from a 6-0 defeat in midweek at Purton. It was to prove to be a close game with Park eventually edging it by the odd goal in five, two goals for Jamie Norman and one for Ben Pring in a 3-2 win that saw Park move above Devizes Town Reserves and into third place. Both of the two Kingsdown goals were scored by Harrison Jordan who took his total for the season to five.

The highest scoring game of the afternoon was in Swindon where Stratton Juniors entertained Bratton. Stratton have not made the best of starts to the season whilst visitors Bratton had started to find their form after two defeats in their opening games. They made a blistering start at Merton Fields scoring four times in the opening 26 minutes. Max Bishop put them 1-0 up after just two minutes and Jack Booth doubled their lead two minutes later. Brandon Wheeler added a third in the 20^th minute before Drew Adams added a fourth on 26 minutes. Stratton managed to stem the tide and it remained 4-0 at the break. The first ten minutes of the second half though proved to be a repeat of that blistering start, Adams notched his second of the game within three minutes of the restart. Stratton then managed to pull one back but Louis Wilkins restored Bratton’s five goal advantage almost immediately. A minute later that advantage had increased to six as Adams completed his hat-trick to make it 7-1. Two goals in the closing ten minutes made the score look more respectable for Stratton but it had been another tough afternoon for the Swindon based side. On target for Stratton were Matt Bibby, Max Wilkins and Kieron Curtis. The win for Bratton saw them climb three places to eighth spot in the table.

Moving up into fourth place in the table are Marlborough Town who are looking to make an immediate return to the Premier Division after last season’s relegation. They picked up their fourth win of the campaign with an impressive 5-1 home win over Cricklade Town. Leading scorer Jake Farrell was once again amongst the goals scoring three times to take his total for the season into double figures. There were also goals for Dan Burke and Harry Wolmersley, Nial Francis with the solitary Cricklade Town goal. Marlborough sit level on points with Park United, two points behind second placed Purton with all three teams having played six games.

The final scheduled game between Bishops Cannings and Kintbury Rangers Development was postponed with Kintbury, who themselves have suffered postponements by other sides for the same reason, unable to raise a side.

2 September 2023