Action from Bratton's 8-1 win over Dilton Marsh Wanderers  in the Wiltshire Junior Cup

(Picture courtesy of Martin Pearce)

There was just the one midweek game in the Premier Division this week and it saw on a wet Wednesday evening Larkhall Athletic Development stage a late comeback to secure all three points against Shrivenham. Despite having the better of things in the first half, Larkhall had just the one goal from Thierry Swaby to show for their efforts in that opening half, the goal coming on 20 minutes, and despite that first half domination Shrivenham remained very much still in the game at the break. Indeed Shrivenham turned things around after the interval, scoring twice through Alfie Barker and Robbie Hendry to lead 2-1 going in the final five minutes of the game with an impressive away win looking on the cards. However, Larkhall kept pushing forward and got themselves back on level terms through Angus Williamson three minutes from time. There was to be one final twist, deep into injury time, Swaby scored his second of the game to give his side all three points. The win for Larkhall saw them move up to fifth spot ahead of the weekend’s big top of the table clash with leaders Amesbury Town. Unfortunately, further heavy rain on Friday on top of the rain which fell during that match on Wednesday night meant that the eagerly awaited game on Saturday fell victim to the weather, denying Amesbury the chance of opening up a bigger lead at the top of the table or Larkhall the chance of breaking into the top four with games in hand over all the teams above them in the table.

Premier Division

In the end just three games went ahead in the Premier Division on Saturday, but the three games produced 21 goals with both Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development and Shrewton United hitting eight goals in their respective games. Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development were away to bottom of the table Odd Down (Bath) Development who had picked up their first win of the season last week, that win coming in the Fountain Trophies Cup. Unfortunately for them that winning feeling did not extend to their latest league game as they fell to another heavy defeat with Odd Down yet to pick up a point in league fixtures. It was a good afternoon for Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development striker Ackeem Stewart who hit four of the visitors’ goals, with both Harry Walters and Bongumenzi Ceko scoring twice for the visitors in an 8-0 win.

The other side to hit eight goals this weekend in the Premier Division were Shrewton United who were home to Malmesbury Victoria Development. It was to be a good day all-round for the club as prior to kick-off they announced that their floodlights had now been repaired enabling floodlit football to return to the Recreation Ground with the lights set to see their first action on Tuesday 24^th October when Pewsey Vale are the visitors. Whilst it was a good weekend for the club as a whole, it was also a good weekend for the Cross family with Lewis smashing a hat-trick to take his total for the season to 11 and brother Jordan bagged a brace to move his total to eight. There was also a hat-trick for George Plant which included a sublime free kick into the top corner of the net. The two consolation goals for Malmesbury Vics Dev were scored by Luc Dangerfield and Connor Laidlaw. The win for Shrewton lifted them up into tenth spot in the table, their highest placing of the season so far.

The final game of the weekend in the Premier Division was at Ludgershall Sports where Blunsdon were the visitors. Blunsdon made it two league wins on the bounce with a 3-0 away win thanks to two more goals from Danny Hale, who moved onto 13 for the season, and one from Louis Rendell. Blunsdon climbed up to fifth spot as a result of this latest win, one point behind Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development having played the same number of games.

Division One

With most of the Division One sides in cup action this weekend there was just the one league game played and it saw Shrivenham Development record a 2-1 home win over Kintbury Rangers Development thanks to goals from Ryan Bragg and Mitchell Eddolls on his season debut. Kintbury went into the game on the back of a big 9-0 win in midweek over Kingsdown Development but were unable to make it back-to-back wins. In midweek against Kingsdown they led 3-0 at the break, before adding a further six in the second half to record their biggest win since joining the league. Star of the show in midweek was Aiden Maycock who was returning from injury and helped himself to four goals, Harry Murtagh bagged a brace and there were further goals from Sean Cook, Ross Lawrence and Alistair Thorp.

Fountain Trophies Cup

There was one game played in the Fountain Trophies Cup with Cricklade Town progressing to the Third Round with a narrow 2-1 win over Lambourn Sports thanks to goals from Gergo Komjati and Josh Riggs. Cricklade Town will now be away to Pewsey Vale, who are managed by Cricklade’s former manager Craig Kent, in the Third Round.

Full details of the games played so far in the cup and the draw for the next round is shown below:

Wiltshire Senior Cup

All but one of the Wiltshire Senior Cup games in the Second Round of the competition had been played in midweek with three sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League progressing to the last eight. Those three sides all progressed at the expense of other sides from the league as all of the ties involving teams from the league against higher level opponents went the way of the sides playing at Step 6.

The first of the three sides through to the last eight are Amesbury Town who were 5-1 victors over Ludgershall Sports. Two goals in this one for captain Jack Vallis, an eleventh of the season from Ben Morris, with Charlie Jackson also on target. Amesbury will be away to Calne Town in the quarter final scheduled for Tuesday 14th November.

Joining Amesbury in the last eight are Melksham Town Reserves but they needed penalty kicks to see off Blunsdon after it had finished 1-1 at the end of ninety minutes, Melksham winning 4-1 in the penalty shootout. Melksham will be home to Trowbridge Town in the quarter final after Trowbridge won an entertaining game against another Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side, Wroughton on Saturday. Goals from Jake Samuel and Simon Millard gave Trowbridge a 2-0 lead but leading scorer Jonathan Peachey-Score pulled one back for the visitors before half time. The same player then restored parity and it remained that way until ten minutes from time when Adam Shipman put the home side back in front. Wroughton went close on a couple of occasions in the closing stages to level matters up but stand-in keeper Dominic Kilbane, who took over at half-time, pulled off a series of saves to ensure his side progressed to the next round. The quarter final between Melksham Town Res and Trowbridge is also scheduled for Tuesday 11th November.

Pewsey Vale, Shrewton United, Salisbury Dev and Kingsdown were all up against higher league opponents and whilst none of them produced a cup upset, they all put up a good fight against Step 6 opposition.

Shrewton United were up against cup holders Downton and put in a really good performance but in the end fell to a 2-0 defeat against the Wessex League side who look a food bet to retain the cup they have won for the past two seasons.

Kingsdown faced Western League Division One side Bradford Town and also gave a good showing against their higher league opponents, eventually falling to a 3-1 defeat, the third Bradford Town goal coming a minute from time to end any hope of Kingsdown taking the game to penalties.

Salisbury Dev also made Devizes Town work hard for the win in the first half of their game on Tuesday night, going behind just before half time. However, with a couple of sendings off in the second half and series of injuries meaning Salisbury finished the game with just eight men saw Devizes take full advantage to run out 5-0 winners in the end against the young Salisbury side.

The final game saw Pewsey Vale lose 4-1 against Calne Town in a game that was forced to be played at Calne Town due to Pewsey’s lights not working, the Wiltshire FA not allowing the game to be played at Pewsey on a Saturday. Pewsey eventually went down 4-1 to their higher league opponents but were competitive throughout and, but for a couple of poor spells in the game, could have run their Hellenic League opponents a lot closer, James Guthrie with the solitary Pewsey goal. Full details of the games played so far in the cup and the draw for the next round is shown below:

Berks & Bucks FA, Charles Twelftree Trophy

The two Berkshire based Premier Division sides Kintbury Rangers and Shrivenham were both involved in the Second Round of the Charles Twelftree Trophy Second Round, and both safely navigated their way into Round Three. Kintbury Rangers were 2-0 hone winners over Westwood Wanderers scoring a goal in each half through Kye Williams and Jamie Gannon. Shrivenham meanwhile were involved in a high scoring game away against Drayton. No doubt the spectators present enjoyed the 12 goals that were scored with Shrivenham winning 8-4 but I am sure the two coaches might be working on their defensive shape in training this coming week. Star of the show for Shrivenham was James Hirst who helped himself to a hat-trick with further goals from Brad Hirst, Alfie Baker, Charlie Sharland, Charlie Hampson and Kieran Sutton.

Wiltshire Junior Cup

Many of the Division One sides were involved in the Wiltshire Junior Cup on Saturday and it was to prove to be a good afternoon for most of the sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. Cricklade Town had a bye to the Second Round and six sides joined them with victories on Saturday. The seven sides could also be joined by Marlborough Town if they win their rearranged game against Bassett Bulldogs next week giving possibly eight of the eleven sides from the league who entered the cup through to the Second Round.

Biggest winners of the day were Bratton who scored four times in each half in their 8-1 demolition of Trowbridge & District League Division Two side Dilton Marsh Wanderers. Both Joe Moloney and Jack Booth scored twice, with further goals from Brandon Thompson, Drew Adams, Brandon Wheeler and Louis Wilkins. Bratton have been given a tough draw in the Second Round with an away tie at Swindon & District League Premier Division side Shield & Dagger.

Division One leaders Park United are safely through to Round 2 after a 3-1 win over Swindon & District League Premier Division side Nalgo Sports Club. They led 1-0 at the break thanks to a Ben Pring effort. Pring then scored a second within a minute of the restart and Corey Harbour Burgess added a third shortly afterwards to put Park United in control of the tie, Credit to Nalgo who continued to battle away and were rewarded with a goal towards the end. Park United will now be away to Mere Town who currently sit fourth in the table in the Dorset Senior League.

Purton are also through to the last 32 with what in the end was a comfortable win at home against Swindon & District League Division One side Drunken Masters. It was all square at 2-2 at half time but Purton stepped up their game in the second half to run out 7-3 winners. Two more goals for player-manager Matty Bennett, Levi Cox also scored a couple with further goals from Lee Hayward, Ethan Miller and Stephen Yeardley. Purton will be away to another Swindon & District Division One side in Round 2 in the shape of Spectrum.

Joining them in Round 2 will be Devizes Town Reserves who secured a 4-2 home win over Trowbridge & District League Division Two side Hilperton Greyhound. On target for Devizes in this one were Caleb Hollow, Oliver Norman and Toby Baker, the fourth goal coming courtesy of an own goal. Devizes Town will be home to Southampton League Junior Division One league leaders Redlynch & Woodfalls in the next round.

Another side who were 4-2 winners on Saturday were Bishops Cannings who defeated Trowbridge & District League Division One side Warminster Town Reserves. Two goals for youngster Szyman Raczek plus one apiece for Charlie Swan and Samuel Brewer did the damage for Bishops Cannings. The reward for Bishops Cannings is a tough looking away game to Hellenic League Division Two Central side Swindon Supermarine who last season were champions of Hellenic League Division Two South.

The final side from the league to progress to Round 2 on Saturday were Kingsdown Development who left it late against fellow Division One side Pewsey Vale Development. Trailing 3-1 to two goals from Kierron Kiff and one from Israel Onibudo, Kingsdown scored three times in the final ten minutes to make it through to the next round. Two goals for Tyler Preedy, including the winner five minutes from time, plus further strikes from Harrison Jordan and Jeremy Wainaina secured the win as Kingsdown put that heavy defeat in midweek in the league well and truly behind them. Kingsdown will be home to Swindon & District League Division One leaders Blunsdon Reserves in the next round. 

There were two other games involving sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League and both ended in defeat and, in the case of Stratton Juniors, something of surprise heavy defeat. That defeat for Stratton was inflicted by Swindon & District League Division One side Ramsbury, 9-1 the score in this one on an afternoon Stratton will quickly want to forget. Their consolation goal was scored by Michael Prinzi.

The other side to be knocked out were Wroughton Development who lost 4-1 to Blunsdon Reserves, Riley Embling with the Wroughton goal.

Cricklade Town, who had a bye in Round One, will be away to Swindon & District League Division One side Moredon, whilst Marlborough Town, if they can defeat Swindon & District Premier Division side Bassett Bulldogs will be away to Trowbridge Town Tigers.

15 October 2023