Just three games, two in the league and one in the cup have been played in the past fortnight in the Under 18 Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. The two league games that were played both impacted the top end of the division. The last Thursday in November saw Royal Wootton Bassett Town entertain Bristol Manor Farm with both teams starting the night joint top of the table on 15 points but with Royal Wootton Bassett Town having played three more games than their opponents who they had lost heavily to in the opening fixture of the season. The opening exchanges saw the home side Royal Wootton Bassett Town create the better chances. Joe Beavis forced the visitor’s keeper to save at full stretch with a shot from the edge of the box. The home side went close again when Rhys Westlake dispossessed a defender and bore down on goal his low shot into the near post being saved by the Bristol Manor Farm keeper this time with his feet. Despite that early pressure it was the visitors who went in front albeit in a fortuitous manner, defender Oliver Smith’s attempted tackle seeing him connect with the ball but directing it into his own net for 1-0 to Bristol Manor Farm. Having gone in front the second half saw Manor Farm starting to dominate proceedings creating a couple of good chances early on. The home side had shouts for a penalty when Noah Cranswick-Coates went down in the box under a challenge, but the defender had connected with the ball first and the appeals were waved away. Bristol Manor Farm looked to give themselves the cushion of a two-goal lead and went close on four separate occasions. First Royal Wootton Bassett Town keeper Tom Davis was forced into a save from a shot from distance. He was then saved by his post after a back pass from Noah Cranswick-Coates was intercepted but the resulting shot came back off the frame of the goal. Davis was then forced to save with his feet from another effort and when the keeper was beaten by another effort Cranswick-Coates was on the line to clear and prevent his side from going further behind. Having rode their luck at times Royal Wootton Bassett Town were to get themselves back on level terms late on, a shot from the edge of the box from Finlay Skittrall coming back off the crossbar with Joe Beavis reacting quickest to smash the ball home for 1-1. The result meant Royal Wootton Bassett Town became the first side to take points off Bristol Manor Farm this season as the two sides continued to share top spot in the division. Your Sport Swindon were at the game and subscribers can view highlights by clicking on the link below or from the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website.

The other league game played was on the following Monday when Kintbury Rangers and Wims 11 met up. The game was scheduled to take place at Kintbury but when their pitch did not pass a pitch inspection early in the afternoon the two teams collaborated to move the game to the 3G at Moredon, the new home for Wims. A big thank you to the two teams and the match officals for their co-operation to ensure a game went ahead. Wims may have regretted their proactivity though come the end of the evening as they fell to a heavy defeat against last season’s champions who are starting to find their form. There were hat-tricks for both Joseph Sheridan and James Tomlinson, Rhys Atkins scored twice with the other goal coming through Charlie Adams in a 9-0 win for Kintbury which saw them move to within a point of the two leaders, having played the same number of games as Bristol Manor Farm but three less than Royal Wootton Bassett Town.

It is disappointing to report that Bradford Town have pulled their team out of the league due to lack of player commitment and their record will be expunged from the league table in due course once discipline procedures have been completed in relation to their withdrawal.

The cup game played involved FC Chippenham and Kingsdown who met for the third time this season having already been involved in two close encounters.  The game on Friday night was to provide yet another close encounter. When they had met in the league back in September, they had shared four goals and the points. They then met in the first staging of this First Round cup game at Stanley Park at the beginning of November and this time round the teams shared six goals sending the tie into a penalty shootout. With the two teams having taken one penalty apiece the facility then switched the floodlights off forcing the game to be abandoned. Once again on Friday, the two sides could not be separated in open play, this time sharing eight goals to once again send the tie into a penalty shootout, Darcy Garner, Edward Oatley, Harry Stiles and Oliver Young scoring for FC Chippenham, Tommy Hellewell, Sam Styes, Nicholas Wilkes and Isaac Osazuwa replying for Kingsdown. It was tight also in the penalty shootout, Kingsdown eventually edging it 5-4 to line up a home tie against Royal Wootton Bassett Town in the Quarter Final which is set to take place early in the New Year.

In outside competitions, Calne Town progressed to the semi-final of the Wiltshire Youth Cup with a 2-1 away win at Salisbury thanks to goals from Henry Curtis and Asher Jones. Calne will be away to Swindon Supermarine Youth in that semi-final.

Bristol Manor Farm also progressed to the Quarter Final of the Gloucestershire FA’s U18 Shield with a 3-2 home win over AEK Boco. On target for Manor Farm were Levelle Bishop, Louie Farrow and Euan Howse. Bristol Manor Farm will now be away to either Bishops Cleeve or Longlevens in the next round.

11 December 2023