Action from the Division One game between Devizes Town Res & Stratton Juniors

(picture courtesy of David Giles)

Premier Division

Larkhall Athletic Development have fallen somewhat behind with their fixtures due to the wet weather and their involvement in the Somerset Senior Cup but took no risk with losing another game this weekend by switching their league fixture against Malmesbury Vics Development to the 3G pitch at Odd Down Sports Centre. They were rewarded for their efforts as they picked up their biggest win of the season, hitting seven unanswered goals to pick up their seventh win in their opening ten fixtures and move up to seventh spot in the table. Star of the show was Dawid Regula on his debut for Larkhall, the new signing scoring two in each half. Thierry Swaby had set them on their way with the opening goal before Regula made it 2-0. James Payton added a third before Regula scored his second of the half to make it 4-0 at the break. Regula completed his hat-trick on the hour mark before substitute Marley Carpenter added a sixth. Regula then rounded off a great afternoon for James Riccio’s side with his fourth of the game and Larkhall’s seventh to avenge the defeat they had suffered at Malmesbury earlier in the season.

Whilst Larkhall were playing just their tenth game of the season, Shrewton United were playing game number 18 and it was to be a good afternoon for the South Wiltshire side as they avenged an opening day of the season defeat at the hands of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. In an entertaining opening half Shrewton twice came from behind to go into the break all square at 2-2, Matt Capel and Mani Mesas scoring for the visitors and Jordan Cross in the 18^th minute and then Brennan Knowles two minutes from half time getting Shrewton back on level terms. It remained tight throughout but Shrewton went in front for the first time in the game ten minutes from time, Charlie Utterson scoring with a header, his sxith goal of the season. Shrewton keeper Sam Gates then pulled off a great save to deny the visitors an equaliser four minutes from time and Shrewton made sure of the points when George Plank fired in from the penalty spot in injury time to make the final score 4-2 to Shrewton.  The win for Shrewton saw them climb to fifth spot and within two points of their beaten opponents, although they have played three more games. For Royal Wootton Bassett Town this was their first defeat in five games as they missed out on the chance to go third in the table.

Kingsdown picked up their sixth win of the campaign with a 4-1 away win at bottom of the table Odd Down (Bath) Development. It was a good afternoon for Louis O’Shea who bagged a hat-trick for the visitors with Antonio Gerrish getting the other goal for Kingsdown. Kingsdown also scored the Odd Down goal with their young keeper accidently punching the ball into his own net. The win for Kingsdown saw them move up into the top half of the table.

The pitch at the Weir Field in Wroughton passed a pitch inspection on the morning of the game and the home side and visitors Salisbury served up an entertaining encounter in difficult conditions. Twice the young Salisbury side led only to be pegged back by Wroughton. Marcus Read gave Salisbury a 1-0 half time lead but new signing Kassa Anderson got Wroughton back on level terms on his Wroughton debut. Read then restored Salisbury’s lead but Aaron Maximen equalised once more for the home side who finished the game with just nine men, with one in the sin bin and captain Luigi Hernandez sent off for a second bookable offence after he had slipped and pulled down a Salisbury player in the process. A much better showing from the young Salisbury side, one of their best performances of the season coming despite having a couple of key players missing.

Berks & Bucks County Cup

Both Kintbury Rangers and Shrivenham were in County Cup action this weekend playing in the 3^rd Round of the Charles Twelftree Trophy, a Berks & Bucks FA County Cup competition. It was to be a contrasting afternoon for the two sides from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with Kintbury exiting the competition following a 4-2 defeat against Thames Valley League Premier Division side Finchampstead, whilst Shrivenham progressed at the expense of another Thames Valley League Premier Division side Wargrave. Kintbury fell behind to an early goal but two goals from Jesse Bowers and George Armstrong saw them go into the break with a narrow lead. However, three unanswered Finchampstead goals in the second half saw Kintbury exit the competition leaving them now to focus on their quest to gain promotion to the Hellenic League. It was a much better afternoon for Shrivenham who returned from their game at Sandhurst School with their name in the hat for the 4^th Round draw thanks to a 4-1 win over Wargrave. Two goals for James Hirst, with the other two goals coming through Brad Hirst and Finnlay Hopkins.

Division One

In Division One, having been dislodged from top spot in recent weeks, Faringdon Town had the chance to return to the top of the table with league leaders Park United having seen their game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Faringdon were at home to a Cricklade Town side who had been impressive in their Wiltshire Junior Cup win last week against Moredon. It was to be a good first half for Faringdon. They went in front from the penalty spot after a handball incident, Adam Sly making no mistake with the spot kick. They then doubled their lead when Jamie Tuck scored his eighth goal of the campaign to make it 2-0 to Faringdon going into the half time break. Faringdon effectively put the game beyond the visitors within eight minutes of the restart, leading scorer Kyle Bowyer bagging his 11th of the season to put Faringdon three goals to the good. It remained that way until 20 minutes from time when Nathan Barbato pulled one back for visitors Cricklade. There was not to be a comeback though and Faringdon added a fourth in the final minute to secure all three minutes courtesy of a 4-1 win which saw them move back above Park United at the top of the table, two points clear with both teams having played 11 games.

Third placed Purton and fourth placed Bratton were both supposed to be in Wiltshire Junior Cup action but once again their respective games against Swindon & District League sides Spectrum and Shield & Dagger both fell victim to waterlogged pitches for the second week running. It was a similar story for sixth placed Marlborough Town who were supposed to be playing Trowbridge & District League side Trowbridge Town Tigers. All three games will now be staged next week, once again forcing some re-shuffling of league fixtures. That said all three sides from Division One of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League will now be at home in the Junior County Cup as, with two postponements, the games switch to becoming a home fixture for the side originally drawn as the away side under the Wiltshire FA cup rules. Hopefully this will mean that the games finally get played next week.

With the sides immediately above them in the table being inactive, Devizes Town Reserves took full advantage to climb a place to fourth spot with a comfortable 6-1 win over Stratton Juniors at Nursteed Road. Both Oliver Norman and Oliver Barnes scored twice for Devizes with further goals from Harvey Swain and Liam Moffatt as Devizes scored six for the third consecutive league game to become the division’s leading scorers with 52 goals. The consolation goal for Stratton Juniors came from the usual source, Corey Cullen scoring his 16^th of the season.

Another side starting to find their form are Kingsdown Development who won their third game in their last four matches in all competitions with a 3-1 success against bottom of the table Wroughton Development. Leading scorer Harrison Jordan helped himself to two more goals with Tyler Preddy also getting on the score sheet for the home side, Michael McClusky with the Wroughton reply. It was not a good day for Wroughton Development player manager Frank Hunt who was sent off along with Damian Gwazeni as Wroughton ended the game with just nine men.

Yet another team having an uptick in their fortunes are Lambourn Sports who made it five straight wins in the league with a 2-0 success over Shrivenham Development. Corey Goode put them in front with a headed goal on 15 minutes and it remained just the one at the break. In the second half the home side made sure of all three points two minutes from time when Harry Meeky fired in from 20 yards to secure the win for Lambourn. The win saw Lambourn move above their beaten opponents and out of the bottom half of the table into eighth spot.

The final game of the day in the division saw yet another home victory as all five games in the Division this weekend finished with home victories. Goals from Ethan Howard, Leo Griggs and Szyman Raczek saw Bishops Cannings edge a five-goal game against Pewsey Vale Development by the odd goal, Sam Ashman and Israel Onibudo with the two Pewsey goals. The second win of the season for Bishops Cannings saw them move above Stratton Juniors at the bottom end of the table.

11 November 2023