Kintbury Rangers manager Danny Langford takes on the Calne Town Reserves defence in a game which Kintbury won 8-0

(picture courtesy of Steve Green)

There were two games in midweek involving Premier Division sides, one in the league and one in the prestigious Wiltshire County FA Senior Cup. The one league game involved the league leaders Kintbury Rangers who restored their three-point lead at the top of the table with a comfortable 4-0 win over Shrivenham thanks to a hat-trick from Will Frank plus one from skipper Carl Jenner.

The one match in the First Round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup was at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground and it saw a close encounter between Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and Blunsdon. Blunsdon eventually edged it by the odd goal in three, Dave Young with both Blunsdon goals, and Kevin Lartey with the reply for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development.  Blunsdon will now be away to Melksham Town Reserves in the Second Round with games set to be played on Tuesday 10^th October. Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Bunsdon are set to meet again on Tuesday night, this time in the league.

There was more action under lights on Friday night when Malmesbury Victoria Development entertained Larkhall Athletic Development at the Flying Monk Ground. Larkhall went in front on 21 minutes through a header from Harvey Kendrick, Kenrick notching his third goal of the season. Malmesbury were back on level terms eight minutes before half time, a Larkhall defender putting the ball into his own net to make it 1-1. Ina tight affair it remained that way until eight minutes from time when a second Malmesbury goal scored by Joe Tranter from a Jake Pinnell pass ensured it was the home side who took the three points courtesy of a 2-1 win.

After that win in midweek, league leaders Kintbury Rangers had another comfortable afternoon on Saturday registering eight unanswered goals against Calne Town Reserves. Youngster George Armstrong led the way scoring five times with Toby Thorp also registering a hat-trick in an 8-0 win. The win left Kintbury three points clear at the top of the table ahead of next week's trip to Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development.

Also scoring eight were Amesbury Town who ran out 8-1 winners against bottom of the table Odd Down (Bath) Development. Two goals for both Josh Moore and Charlie Jackson in this one with further goals from Kieron Diaz-Benetiz, Craig Wheeler, Ben Morris and Jack Langhorn, Jasper Morris with the consolation goal for Odd Down.

Blunsdon had the chance to stay in touch with the top three when they entertained Shrivenham at Sutton Park in a local derby game. Having won in midweek in the Wiltshire Senior Cup Blunsdon were looking to carry on where they had left off on Tuesday night, but they found themselves trailing 2-0 at the break in Saturday's encounter against their near neighbours. Finnlay Hopkins opened the scoring with the first goal for Shrivenham getting on the end of a Charlie Sage ball. Moments later, Blunsdon thought they had equalised almost immediately, but the goal was disallowed. Shrivenham then doubled their lead when a mistake at the back by the Blunsdon defence allowed Matt Horsell to fire in for 2-0. Blunsdon sought to repond and had a golden chance to get themselves back into the match from the peanlty spot but the normally reliable Danny Hale missed the spot kick as  Blunsdon's leading scorer failed to add to his tally. It went from bad to worse for Blunsdon after the break as a second for Matt Horsell saw Shrivenham go 3-0 up. Despite having a lot of the ball in the second half Blunsdon could not break through until a late goal from Hale made the score look more respectable. A second league defeat of the season for Blunsdon which saw them lose ground on the the top three.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development bounced back from that midweek cup defeat with a comfortable 4-0 away win at Salisbury Development who continue to struggle at the start of the new season. Star of the show was Ackeem Stewart who helped himself to a hat-trick with Nathaniel Bell adding a fourth for Royal Wootton Bassett who remain sixth in the table three points behind third placed Pewsey Vale but having played two games more. They are back in action on Tuesday night with that league fixture against Blunsdon.

After the frustration of last week’s postponement against Wroughton, Trowbridge Town visited Shrewton United looking to close the gap to the leading sides. It started well for Trowbridge who went in front after just ten minutes, Liam Milburn firing in after good work from Jack Miluk. Trowbridge went close to extending the lead just before the half hour mark a ball in finding Dan Kovacs who was denied by an excellent save from Shrewton United keeper Sam Gates. Five minutes later Gates was at it again this time denying Miluk. Gates continued to defy the rampant visitors, moments later he pulled off another superb save from a Leigh Rogers shot from distance. Having soaked up so much pressure, and with Gates to thank for it still being just the one, Shrewton managed to get themselves back in the game. A defensive mix up following a long ball from keeper Gates saw the ball fall to Ben Mulvany who beat Trowbridge keeper Kierran Ramsey from a good 35 yards out to make it 1-1 and it remained that way at half time. Trowbridge went close to regaining the lead eight minutes into the second half but once again Gates was on hand to deny them, James Rustell the latest Trowbridge player to be denied by the Shrewton keeper. Gates was finally beaten for the second time in th game two minutes later, the ball ricocheting to Liam Milburn in the box who fires it low past Gates. Shrewton upped their game in search of an equaliser, but the game was finally put beyond them a minute from time as Trowbridge broke quickly following a Shrewton corner and Leigh Rogers converted to break Shrewton hearts and make the final score 3-1 to the visitors Trowbridge. We understand that Trowbridge Town Chairman and League Committee member Andy Meaden took a tumble at the game and broke his arm, all at the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League wish him a speedy recovery.

One of the form teams in the Division are Melksham Town Reserves who made it five straight wins with a narrow 2-1 away win at Kingsdown thanks to goals from Jake Dodge and Tom Dowell. After failing to win in their opening five games, manager Justin Flowers has certainly got his side playing some entertaining and effective football at the moment. The Kingsdown consolation goal was scored by Kierran O’Daly.  

After last week’s difficulties, Wroughton were able to field two sides again this weekend and they were involved in a game against Ludgershall Sports which had a dramatic conclusion with a flurry of late goals. A goal from Jonathan Peachey-Score had put Wroughton ahead but they were pegged back on the stroke of half time, Luke Holden firing in from the penalty spot for Ludgershall to make it 1-1 at the break. In the second half it remained that way until five minutes from the end of the match when Max Scholefield restored Wroughton’s lead. Two minutes later visitors Ludgershall were back on level terms again, Holden with his second of the game to make it 2-2. There was still time for one more goal, as the game moved into injury time Aaron Maximen scored with what proved to be the winner for Wroughton as Chris Flanagan’s side edged it by the odd goal in five.

There was also a full programme of games played in Division One this week and the seven games played saw 39 goals scored in total, with two sides, as in the Premier Division, both scoring eight. The focus was on the leading sides, Faringdon Town and Purton, who sat in the top two places at the start of the day. It was to be a day of mixed fortunes for the two sides. Whilst Faringdon Town made it eight wins from their opening eight games with a 4-1 win away at Shrivenham Development, Purton surprisingly lost at home against Devizes Town Reserves who had lost two in a row going into the game with Purton.

In the game at Shrivenham it was the home side who were on top in the early stages, but it was to be the league leaders who went in front against the run of play, Adam Sly firing home after Josh Forth had headed a corner back into the box. Faringdon extended their lead on 22 minutes, Jamie Tuck heading home from a free kick. Faringdon continued to press for more goals and went 3-0 up with just 29 minutes on the clock when a shot from Josh Forth squirmed under the body of the Shrivenham keeper. Shrivenham pulled one back before half time. It remained 3-1 until the hour mark when Liam Hares restored Faringdon’s three goal advantage heading in from a corner to make it 4-1 which it was how it ended on another good afternoon for Faringdon.

Whilst it was a good afternoon for Faringdon it was a bad day at the office for Matt Bennett’s Purton side as they fell to a 4-1 defeat at home to Devizes Town Reserves. Two goals for both James Cox and Harry Drewitt did the damage for Devizes as they recorded their best result of the season, Gio Wrona with the solitary Purton goal as his side fell to their second defeat of the season. The defeat for Purton saw them slip to third place in the table.

Moving above Purton into second place are Park United who scored twice in each half away at Bishops Cannings on the 3G at Green Lane to secure a 4-0 win. On target for Park in this one were Corey Harbour-Burgess, Zac Hillier, Haken Blackmore and Jamie Norman. Park now sit five points behind Faringdon in the table with both sides having played eight games. Park have the chance to close that gap next week as Faringdon are without a game whilst Park are home to Shrivenham Dev.

Marlborough Town bounced back from last week’s defeat at Bratton with a comprehensive 8-0 win over Kingsdown at Elcot Lane. Both Dan Burke and Kieron Maidment bagged a brace and there were further goals from leading scorer Jake Farrell, Charlie Frampton, Andrew Neale and Harry Wolmersley. The win sees Marlborough sat in fourth place in the table, two points behind Purton and three adrift of Park United.

Also scoring eight goals this afternoon were Bratton who made it four straight wins with an 8-1 win over Wroughton Development. Bratton have now scored 26 goals in those four games to move up to sixth spot in the table. Louis Wilkins set them on their way with an early goal and three more through Adam Kenich, Max Bishop and Jack Booth saw them lead 4-0 at half time. Louis Wilkins increased the lead with his second of the game after the restart before Wroughton pulled one back through Frank Hunt. Further goals from Joe Moloney, Drew Adams and Tom Thomson for Bratton completed an 8-1 success for Bratton who are home to Pewsey Vale Development next week.

Pewsey Vale Development will go into the game next week in a more confident mood after they bounced back from three heavy defeats with a 5-0 home success over Cricklade Town. They had a helping hand from their opponents though as Cricklade scored two of the Pewsey goals, the other three goals coming through Israel Onibudo, Dom Terrett and Kierron Kiff.

Lambourn Sports are starting to turn their season around. After last week’s first win of the season they made it two wins on the spin with a come from behind victory over Kintbury Rangers Development. Joseph Sheridan had put visitors Kintbury ahead but goals from Jamie Stones and Scott Garrett ensured it was Lambourn who secured all three points. The win for Lambourn saw them climb above both Shrivenham Development and Stratton Juniors in the table.

16 September 2023