Kintbury Rangers moved to within a point of league leaders Amesbury Town with a 2-1 win at Larkhall Ath Dev

Storm Henk had a major impact on the first round of fixtures of the New Year in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with just three games surviving in the Premier Division and two league games in Division One, with Bratton also getting to play their game in the Wiltshire Junior Cup following a switch of venue to a 3G pitch.

A 3G pitch was also utilised by Larkhall Athletic Development to enable their Premier Division clash at the top end of the table with Kintbury Rangers to go ahead with their own pitch at Plain Ham saturated from all the incessant rain over the past fortnight. Larkhall moved their game to the 3G at the Odd Down Sports Ground, a pitch which they have used previously, and were involved in an excellent tight game between two sides who went into the match harbouring title ambitions. The home side Larkhall went 1-0 up from the penalty spot, Sam Whitson putting the spot kick away, but Kintbury Rangers got back on level terms on the half hour mark. Once again it was the Division’s leading scorer George Armstrong with the Kintbury goal as he took his total for the season to 25 with a well taken effort to level matters up at 1-1. That was not the end of the scoring in the first half as Kintbury were to go into the half time break with a slender advantage. However, that second goal coming came in bizarre circumstances when the Larkhall keeper completely misjudged a soft back pass and the ball ended up in the back of the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors at half time. The second half saw Larkhall push for an equaliser, but it was not to be as Kintbury returned to Berkshire with all three points from a game between two evenly matched sides who both will still have a big say in this season’s title race. The win for Kintbury saw them move to within a point of Amesbury at the top of the table but having played one game more. 

Also closing the gap to the league leaders were Pewsey Vale who had a comfortable win away at Ludgershall Sports. Whilst the game at Larkhall was played on 3G, Pewsey’s game at Ludgershall was played on grass and credit to the Ludgershall club for preparing the pitch to enable the game to go ahead despite the best efforts of Storm Henk. Two first half goals from James Guthrie and one from Andy Rossiter put Pewsey in the ascendancy as they led 3-0 at the break. Further goals from Rossiter, with his second of the game, and Michael Jones put Pewsey 5-0 up before substitute Luke Peterson scored the best goal of the afternoon, firing in from 25 yards out to make the final score 6-0 to Pewsey. Yet another clean sheet for the meanest defence in the division who moved to within six points of leaders Amesbury Town with a game in hand and stay five points behind Kintbury Rangers but with two games in hand.

Two more goals for Pewsey Vale's James Guthrie in their 6-0 win at Ludgershall Sports & another clean sheet for Louie LaTouche

The only other game to go ahead in the Premier Division was at Odd Down (Bath) Development where the two sides at the bottom of the table were in action. It was to prove to be a good afternoon for the home side as they registered their first points of the season courtesy of a 4-2 win over Salisbury FC Development. There were two goals for Odd Down’s Ben Millett, who took his total for the season to five, plus further goals from Tyrone Mulholland and Finn Forster.

Just two league games survived in Division One, one being played on 3G at Kingsdown School where the home side Kingsdown were up against the other side who play on 3G, Bishops Cannings. It was to prove to be a good afternoon for visitors Bishops Cannings as two first half goals from Cameron Lee saw them lead 2-1 at the break. Further goals from Will Musgrove and substitute Sam Brewer saw them repeat that first half performance to run out 4-2 winners. The two goals for Kingsdown were scored by Alex Fenton and Liam Geraghty.  The win for Bishops Cannings saw them climb a couple places in the table to tenth spot.

The other game in the Division was at Shrivenham, with Shrivenham’s groundsman being the second one of the weekend deserving special praise for enabling the Shrivenham Development game against Purton to go ahead on grass despite all the wet weather. It was to prove to be a close encounter with Purton eventually edging it by the odd goal in three. Jack Rockett with the Shrivenham goal from the penalty spot and on target for the visitors were leading scorer and player manager Matt Bennett and Gio Wrona. The win for Purton saw them climb a couple of places to fourth spot in the table, 12 points behind leaders Faringdon Town with two games in hand.

Please note that the league table has now been adjusted for the impact of Wroughton Development's withdrawal from the league.

Bratton were the league’s one and only representative in the Wiltshire Junior Cup quarter final and it was to prove to be a good afternoon for Jake Packer’s side as they progressed to the last four of the competition courtesy of a 4-1 win away against Trowbridge & District League Division Two side Semington Magpies. Star of the show, in a game that had been switched to the 3G at Beversbrook, was Louis Wilkins who helped himself to a hat-trick, the other Bratton goal coming through Max Bishop. The game at Beversbrook was the only one of the four quarter final ties to go ahead this weekend so Bratton will have to wait to see who their potential semi-final opponents will be.

Bratton who made it through to the semi final of the Wiltshire Junior Cup

6 January 2024