There has been a dearth of action in the Under 18 Floodlight Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with just two league games played in the past three weeks and one cup game that was unfortunately abandoned in ridiculous circumstances. A combination of school half-term and the weather causing the lack of overall action in the division.
One of the two league games played took place on Monday 16th October and saw league leaders Bristol Manor Farm maintain their 100% winning start to the season with a 3-1 win over Kingsdown. The leaders were made to work hard for the three points by their opponents from Swindon though. It was 0-0 at the break but Manor Farm ensured that winning run continued with second half goals from Charlie Williams, Bradley Selwood and substitute Layton Thompson. On target for visitors Kingsdown was Josh Atwell who bagged his first of the season for Kingsdown U18’s.
The only other game played in the three-week period was on Friday tonight when Wims 11 entertained Calne Town at Swindon Academy. It was to prove to be a good night for visitors Calne who moved joint second in the table with a 5-2 win thanks to goals from Thomas Gates, Harry Hynes, Asher Jones, Luke Masero and Aiden Martin, a ninth of the season from the division’s leading scorer Billy Wimble and one from Joshua Briggs in reply for Wims.
Whilst Calne were picking up their third win of the season, the one outstanding game in the First Round of the U18 League Cup was taking place at Stanley Park, with FC Chippenham up against Kingsdown with a place in the quarter final at stake and a home tie against Royal Wootton Bassett Town. An entertaining first half saw the two sides share four goals and with both then scoring once more in the second half it finished 3-3 at the end of 90 minutes. On target for Kingsdown were Josh Atwell, Jack Byrne and Ethan Lee, the FC Chippenham goals coming courtesy of Aimar Petite Hamzic, Hartley Newson and Jack Burchell. With the scores level at the end of 90 minutes, there should have been extra time in accordance with the League Cup rules but the officials and teams had agreed to go straight to penalty kicks before the game due to being advised by the person on duty at Stanley Park that he would be switching the lights off at 9:30PM. Despite truncating the evening’s action there was still not to be an outcome achieved though. After the two sides had taken one penalty apiece the person on duty at Stanley Park decided to switch the floodlights off to enable the facility to be cleared by 10PM. The referee was then left with no choice but to abandon the match which will now need to be discussed at the Discipline Meeting this coming Thursday night.
FC Chippenham were back in action on Sunday in the Wiltshire FC County Cup but exited the competition following a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Salisbury. Calne Town are through to the last eight though having been awarded their 3rd Round tie against Staverton Rangers.
This coming week sees nine of the ten sides in action and hopefully we will see some games played with just four sides having so far managed to play five games in the league. Kintbury Rangers will once gain be without a game though as Radstock Town are in County Cup action.
5 November 2023
