Action from Amesbury's 3-1 win at Wroughton

There were five games played in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Senior League with just two games postponed, one due to a waterlogged pitch and one due to a team not being able to raise a side.

League leaders Amesbury Town’s game away at Wroughton went ahead but the two sides faced a very heavy pitch at the Weir Field. Wroughton went into the game without three of their most influential players, with leading scorers Jonathan Peachey-Score and Aaron Maximen both missing along with midfielder Jonny Davoille. Despite these absences there was little between the two sides in the opening 15 minutes, but it was to be the visitors who would get the first goal. A ball through the middle from Ellis Cleary-Tucker saw Amesbury’s leading scorer Josh Moore beat the Wroughton offside trap and have just Wroughton keeper Darryl Simms between him and his 15^th goal of the season and he made no mistake to put Amesbury ahead. Straight from the kick-off Wroughton conceded possession to Moore who on this occasion chose to shoot from distance but the shot didn’t test Simms as it went wide of the far post. Amesbury suffered a major setback on 23 minutes when midfield player Ellis Cleary-Tucker picked up what looked a serious knee injury on the soft playing surface when making a tackle. He was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital and unfortunately Amesbury have confirmed tonight that he suffered a ruptured patella tendon and is set to have an operation tomorrow. All from the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League wish him a speedy recovery from this unfortunate injury. Despite this setback, Amesbury extended their lead just after the half hour mark, Josh Moore once again saw himself clean through baring down on the Wroughton goal but this time his shot came back off the post and when the ball was put back in the box, Wroughton player manager Chris Flanagan committed a foul to prevent a goal that saw a penalty awarded and Flanagan booked. Moore stepped up to take the penalty, but the spot kick was well saved by Simms, but the Wroughton defence were slow to react and Amesbury’s Jack Langdown pounced to fire in for 2-0. That was to be the end of the scoring in the first half. In the second half it remained 2-0 until 15 minutes from time when Amesbury skipper Jack Vallis got on the end of an Ally McCracken corner to head powerfully in for his seventh goal of the season and give his side a 3-0 lead. There was to be a consolation goal for Wroughton three minutes from time, substitute Cornelius Amponsah heading in from a free kick to make the final score 3-1 to Amesbury as they opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table.

Second placed Kintbury Rangers and third placed Pewsey Vale had a frustrating afternoon as they both saw their games postponed. Kintbury’s opponents Odd Down (Bath) Development were unable to raise a side and Pewsey Vale saw their game against Kingsdown postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Southbrook Rec.

Fourth placed Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development had no such problem with their game being played on the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground where it was to be an eventful afternoon for their leading scorer Nat Bell. They were up against a young Salisbury Development side who clearly liked the 3G surface as they led on two occasions in the first half only to be pegged back on both occasions, Bell getting the first equaliser and Matt Capel getting the second which sent the two sides into the break all square, Dyllan Roocroft with his seventh of the season and Harry Mealing with the two Salisbury goals. Royal Wootton Bassett Town went into the lead for the first time in the game early in the second half, Bell notching his second of the game and his 16^th of the season. Royal Wootton Bassett Town had the better of things after that but Salisbury, who played some nice football from the back, always looked dangerous when in possession on the break but found a stubborn home defence difficult to get behind and didn’t really create any chances in the second half. The home side’s Bell saw his game turn sour when he was harshly booked for a 50:50 headed challenge which would have meant he would be suspended for his side’s next game for an accumulation of bookings. Clearly frustrated by the decision, moments later he kicked the ball away when a free kick was given against him and duly picked up a second yellow card followed by a red to re-affirm his absence from his side’s game next week against Kintbury Rangers. The home side saw out the closing moments without looking like they would concede the lead to pick up their tenth victory of the season to move within three points of third placed Pewsey Vale but having played five more games than the side above them in the table.

Larkhall Athletic Development have seen several of their games postponed due to waterlogged pitches and would have been relieved that their game went ahead this weekend with Melksham Town Reserves the visitors. The two young sides were involved in a tight encounter that could have gone either way but in the end neither side was able to find the net and had to settle for a point apiece. Larkhall will now seek to play catch-up with their fixtures with a game next Saturday against Pewsey Vale, a local derby with Odd Down (Bath) Development on Boxing Day and with a couple of midweek games set to be inserted in January. Melksham meanwhile will be back in action on Tuesday night when they play their rescheduled Third Round Fountain Trophies Cup tie against Bratton.   

The last time Blunsdon played a game was 53 days ago when they had visited Kintbury for a midweek fixture, their last Saturday fixture being some eight weeks ago! They have clearly been frustrated by their lack of action and certainly took their frustration out on visitors Trowbridge Town in the opening half of their game, racing into a 4-0 half time lead thanks to goals from Louis Randall, Jamie Pidgeon, Danny Hale and Nick Craft. What looked to be turning into a comfortable afternoon for the home side saw them suffer a setback within a minute of the restart, goalkeeper Harrison Ellis being adjudged to have handled the ball outside the box when Trowbridge’s George Bendle was through on goal. Ellis was dismissed for the incident and his side forced to play the remainder of the game with ten men and a stand in keeper. A much better showing from Trowbridge in the second half saw them pull one back 20 minutes from time, Josh Howlett heading in from a Liam Milburn corner, but that was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring as it finished 4-1 to Blunsdon who climbed above both Wroughton and Shrivenham as a result of the win. For defending champions Trowbridge Town, it is proving to be a difficult season as they have now lost more than they have won, and any promotion aspirations look like they will now have to wait another season with Amesbury Town and Kintbury Rangers going so well at the top of the table. Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view highlights of the game by clicking on the link below or the link from the Your Sport Swindon Page of the League website where you can also access all the other games covered this season.

Shrewton United have had a good calendar year in 2023 and ended the year on a winning note with a 2-1 victory over Calne Town Reserves, avenging the narrow defeat they suffered at Calne at the end of October. Jordan Cross out them in front with his tenth goal of the campaign and an own goal then doubled their lead, a corner from Mike Glasson taking a deflection off a Calne player. Oscar Webster then pulled one back for Calne firing into the bottom corner of the net to set up a possible comeback, but Shrewton saw out the remainder of the game without conceding a second to secure the three points. The win sees them going into the New Year sat in fifth spot in the table, ending a year which had started seeing them worrying about possible relegation on a high. A tremendous transformation for the team who also take the honour of playing the most league games in Season 2023-24 by the turn of the year, and the only side to have played the targeted number of league games by Christmas.

The only other Premier Division side to see action this weekend were Shrivenham who were aiming to make it through to the semi-final of the Charles Twelftree Trophy, the Berks & Bucks County Cup competition. They were up against Windsor & Eton from the Thames Valley Premier Division who have lost just one game all season and currently sit second in the league with games in hand which if won would see them go top. On the day they proved too strong for Shrivenham whose cup dreams were ended following a 5-1 defeat, Brad Hirst with the consolation goal for Shrivenham taking his total for the season to 12. 

It was a good afternoon for fixtures in Division 1 as all six scheduled games were played. It was also a good afternoon for the top three sides as they all secured victories. League leaders Faringdon Town entertained Pewsey Vale Development and had another successful afternoon registering their eighth clean sheet of the season whilst scoring another four goals at the other end. On target for them in their latest success were Josh Forth, Jamie Broadfield, Ray Lovell and Adam Sly as the league leaders took their goal tally in the league from their 14 games to date to 58.

Faringdon are not, however, the division’s leading scorers, that honour belongs to Devizes Town Reserves, who are now on 60 goals following their 4-1 win over Bishops Cannings in the “Devizes derby” which was played in front of a healthy crowd at Green Lane. Leading 2-0 at the break they doubled their tally in the second half whilst allowing Bishops Cannings just the one at the other end, that coming through an own goal, as it finished 4-1 to Devizes.  Devizes remain ten points behind the leaders but just two behind second placed Park United. The Devizes goals were shared around with one apiece for Joseph Muir, Josh Madle, Jack Baker and Cullen Wylie.

More of David Giles excellent pictures can be found on the Devizes Town Facebook Page.

Park United retained that two-point lead over Devizes thanks to a 2-0 away win against Lambourn Sports the two goals coming from Ben Pring and Zac Hillier. Park have a game in hand over the leaders and will be hoping to close the gap to Faringdon when they finally catch up with their fixtures following their County Cup exploits.

Bratton warmed up for their Fountain Trophies Cup Third Round tie against Premier Division Melksham Town Reserves this coming Tuesday with a hard fought 2-1 win over Shrivenham Development on another heavy pitch. The win was secured thanks to goals from Jack Booth and Brandon Thompson. Booth had put Bratton ahead 14 minutes in and it had remained just the one goal until a minute from time when Thompson added a second for Bratton. There was still time for a consolation for Shrivenham, Taylor Edwards firing in from the penalty spot. The win saw Bratton move above Purton and into fourth spot in the table.

Marlborough Town were another team playing their first league game since October due to the Wiltshire Junior Cup and multiple postponements. They had gone out of that competition against Sherston Town last week,  not helped by a number of missed opportunities against their Stroud League opponents. They certainly rediscovered their shooting boots this afternoon against a struggling Stratton Juniors, being the biggest scorers on the day registering six-goals. Kieran Maidment and Jake Farrell both scored twice and there were further goals from Aaron Presley and Henry Johnstone in a 6-2 win, Blake Foss with both Stratton goals. It was noted earlier what a tremendous 2023 it has been for Shrewton United, in contrast for Stratton Juniors 2023 has been something of an annus horribilis. After relegation at the end of last season, Season 2023-24 has seen them win just two of their 16 league fixtures to date when the hope at the start of the season had been for an immediate bounce back after last season’s relegation. They will certainly be hoping for a better 2024.

The final game in the Division was an entertaining one in terms of goals on the 3G at Kingsdown School between Kingsdown Development and Kintbury Rangers Development which saw eight goals scored by the two teams. Visitors Kintbury came out on top, running out 5-3 winners thanks to a hat-trick from Jesse Bowers plus one from both Aiden Maycock and Tom Mahoney. In reply for Kingsdown, Louis O'Shea scored twice and Callum Tregunna with the other.

16 December 2023