Action from the Premier Division game between RWBT Dev & Wroughton

County Cup Competitions

Once again the wet weather played havoc with the fixtures in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League and Wiltshire Junior Cup with two of the Junior Cup fixtures postponed for the third consecutive week, with both Marlborough Town and Bratton set to try again next week with getting their Second Round games played. One game in the Junior Cup did get played and it saw Purton progress to the next round with a 2-0 home win over Swindon & District League side Spectrum. Player manager Matt Bennett was once again amongst the goals taking his total for the season to 20, Lee Hayward with the other Purton goal. Purton will now be away to Seend United in the Third Round which is set to take place on December 2^nd.

Division One leaders Faringdon Town were also in County Cup action playing in the Berks & Bucks FA David Grainge Trophy but exited the cup after a 2-0 defeat away at East Berkshire League side South Reading. They conceded the first goal just before the half hour mark and when the home side were awarded a penalty five minutes later it was not looking good for the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League side. However, keeper Jack Gibson, ensured it remained just the one going into the half time break as he saved the spot kick. It remained just the one goal in the game until 20 minutes from time when South Reading doubled their lead to secure progress into Round 4.

Premier Division

There were just three of the seven scheduled fixtures in the Premier Division which beat the weather due to the fact that all three games were being staged on 3G pitches. Salisbury’s young side have blown hot and cold this season, a 6-1 away win at Calne last month being followed a week later by an 8-0 defeat at Kintbury. Whilst it may have been a damp and cold day weather wise, for Salisbury Development it was another of their hot days on the pitch at home against Shrivenham. Early goals from Naman Gurung and Dyllan Roocroft put them two goals to the good, Jamie Wintle then making it 3-0 just before the half hour mark. It remained that way at the break but when Wintle scored his second of the game within a minute of the restart the game was effectively over as a contest. A second goal of the game from Roocroft around the hour mark rounded off a good afternoon for the young Salisbury side as it finished 5-0 and saw them move above Ludgershall Sports in the table.

After four straight wins, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development were beaten last week at Shrewton United and were looking to return to winning ways when they entertained Wroughton. A win for Royal Wootton Bassett would have seen them move into the top three but Wroughton had got the better of their opponents earlier in the season at the Weir Field and were looking to complete a league double. In an entertaining first half which saw both sides play some excellent passing football without creating too many clear-cut chances due to two well organised defences it was no surprise that the breakthrough came from a set piece. In the 33^rd minute Wroughton midfield player Jonny Davoille was going away from goal when a rash challenge from Zac Pettifer saw Davoille upended in the box and referee Steven Brenchley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for a blatant penalty. Captain Aaron Maximen took the spot kick, colly chipping the ball into the net past the keeper  for 1-0 to the visitors. The home side Royal Wootton Bassett responded to the set back and went close to equalising almost immediately when Nick Mason forced Ed Salsbury into a save but it remained 1-0 at the break. The home side came out for the second half determined to get back into the game and went close within two minutes of the restart. The lively Nathanial Bell forcing Salsbury into a stunning tip over the bar from a shot from the edge of the box. Whilst Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development continued to push for an equaliser, they never really opened up a disciplined and well organised Wroughton back line. On 78 minutes Nick Mason had a header that went just over the bar but that was the closest they got to getting an equaliser. The game was put beyond them two minutes from time, an exquisite chip from Luke Saunders from the edge of the box making it 2-0 to Wroughton. There was still time for one more goal and again it went the way of Saunders, a defence splitting pass from Aaron Maximen put Saunders clear of the defence and he fired in for 3-0. Wroughton deserved the win for being more clinical in front of goal and for a well organised defence that frustrated the home side all afternoon, but the final score had something of a flattering look to it as it was a tight affair right until that second goal two minutes from time. Your Sport Swindon were there with their cameras and subscribers can view the match highlights by clicking on the link below or the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the website. 

The third game played in the Premier Division was at Kingsdown School where the home side Kingsdown had switched the game from Southbrook Rec to the 3G at Kingsdown School to ensure the game against bottom of the table Odd Down (Bath) Development went ahead. Kingsdown were rewarded for their efforts when U18 player Josh Atwell gave them an early lead in only the fourth minute of the game. Given the season Odd Down are having Kingsdown may have expected a comfortable afternoon with plenty more goals, but they found themselves involved in a tight contest. Kingsdown did, however, go close to extending their lead five minutes before the break, Alex Fenton seeing his effort hit the crossbar but it remained just the one at half time. Kingsdown started the brighter of the two sides in the second half, creating a couple of early chances but found themselves pegged back on 54 minutes. A mix-up in defence allowing Ben Millett in to equalise for the visitors. It then remained all square until ten minutes from time, Kingsdown’s Antonio Gerrish firing his side back in front with his seventh goal of the campaign. Kingsdown finally made sure of all three points in the final minute of the match, a ball from Adam Bright putting Louis O’Shea in on goal and he made no mistake to make the final score 3-1 to Kingsdown. The win for Kingsdown saw them climb up to sixth spot in the table with games in hand over the two sides immediately above them in the table.

Division One

In Division One Park United switched their game against Cricklade Town to the 3G at Stanley Park and  looked like they would return to the top of the table when they went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Corey Harbour-Burgess and Jamie Norman, the latter firing in his eighth goal of the season. However, Cricklade came back strongly to score two of their own through Jake Bailey to go in level at half time. The first saw Bailey lob the keeper and the second saw him hit a long range shot from outside the box to level matters up at 2-2. Another strike from distance, this time from Josh Riggs, who took his total goal tally into double figures for the season in the process, put Cricklade in front for the first time in the game with what in the end proved to be the winning goal as Cricklade completed a league double over Park United and prevented them returning to the top of the table. The win saw Cricklade Town move up to sixth place in the table.

The only league game played on grass this weekend was at Shrivenham where Shrivenham Development entertained Pewsey Vale Development. In a tight game a solitary goal from Pewsey’s Jordan Ball was all that separated the two sides. The win for Pewsey saw them climb one place in the table to eighth spot.

18 November 2023