Bratton who have made it to the final of the Wiltshire Junior Cup with a 2-0 win over Seend United

Wiltshire Junior Cup

It is congratulations to Division One side Bratton who have made it through to the final of the prestigious Wiltshire County FA Junior Cup with a hard fought 2-0 win over Trowbridge & District League Division One champions Seend United. It was to be an excellent afternoon for Bratton and Drew Adams in particular. Adams put Bratton 1-0 up five minutes before half time with a shot from the edge of the box to give Bratton a 1-0 half time lead. Whilst Adams got the goal Bratton had keeper Ryan Stevens to thank also for that half time lead as he pulled off several stunning saves to deny Seend in that opening half. It remained tight throughout and going into injury time at the end of the game it remained just that one goal. However, a penalty awarded in the 95^th minute allowed Adams to make sure of the win as he fired home to complete a 2-0 victory. Bratton’s opponents in the final, which is scheduled for the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC, on Saturday 23^rd March, will be Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves who secured a narrow 2-1 win over Sherston Town to make the final.

Premier Division

There was a full programme of eight games in the Premier Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League, the first time this has happened since mid-September. Both Kintbury Rangers and Amesbury Town were looking to maintain their promotion push and both will be content with their afternoons work. League leaders Kintbury Rangers made the trip South to take on Salisbury Development having won the first meeting of the two sides comprehensively having hit eight unanswered goals back in October. It was somewhat closer this time around, but Kintbury were always in command. They led 3-0 at the break thanks to two more goals for the Division’s leading scorer George Armstrong and one from his strike partner Jake Allan. Armstrong’s total for the season is now an impressive 31 goals. Further second half strikes from Tom Mahoney and Ryan North rounded off a good afternoon for Danny Langford’s side, Salisbury just getting the one goal in reply through Archie Ingram as it finished 5-1.

Jake Allan and Tom Mahoney who were both on target in Kintbury Rangers 5-1 away win at Salisbury FC Development

When Amesbury Town had met Royal Wootton Bassett Town on a boiling hot day back in September it had been a tight affair edged by Amesbury by the odd goal in seven. The return fixture at Bonnymead Park in contrast was something of a one-sided affair. Amesbury were ahead as early as the second minute of the game, Jack Langdown beating his man and firing in. Amesbury doubled their lead on 11 minutes, Josh Moore slotting home from the edge of the box. Centre back Jack Vallis has scored a number of goals with his head from corners this season but on this occasion, it was with his feet that he put Amesbury three up. An initial corner was cleared but was delivered back into the box and met by Vallis on the volley to extend the home side’s lead going into the break. Any chance of the visitors getting back into the game was ended just before the hour mark, Royal Wootton Bassett Town conceding possession in their own half and the ball being squared to Josh Moore who made no mistake for his second of the game. It went from bad to worse for the visitors ten minutes later, a shot from Josh Moore was well saved by Dan West in the Royal Wootton Bassett Town goal but substitute Tyler Brockway was following up to put the rebound away. Twenty minutes from time the influential Moore completed his hat-trick, Ben Morris found space wide on the wing and his cross was met by the head of Moore for his 18^th of the season. Amesbury remain two points behind leaders Kintbury with two games in hand with the two sides set to meet in a fortnight’s time in a game which could go a long way to deciding the destination of the league title.

Third placed Pewsey Vale had what always looked a tricky looking fixture at Calne Town Reserves and went into the game with a number of key players missing, including striker Andy Rossiter who was suspended following last week’s sending off against Amesbury Town. Despite missing a first half penalty, goals from Jack Smith and Sean Bailey saw Calne inflict only the fourth defeat of the season on Pewsey, avenging the 3-0 defeat they suffered at Pewsey on the opening day of the season.

Blunsdon were looking to make it back-to-back wins when they entertained Larkhall Athletic Development at Sutton Park. Larkhall still have promotion aspirations but really cannot afford to drop any more points as they look to bridge the big gap to the top two. They got off to a good start at Sutton Park, Matt Talbot prodding home a Lewis Dixon corner with 20 minutes gone. Blunsdon were back on level terms five minutes later when they were awarded a penalty for an off the ball incident. Jamie Pidgeon put the spot kick away as he had done last week in the 1-0 win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town. Larkhall Athletic suffered a major set back ten minutes before half time when Harrison Lea was sent off after a melee following a foul. Despite the one-man disadvantage Larkhall looked the more likely side to score after the break. Last week Harrison Ellis had ensured Blunsdon took all three points with a serious of excellent saves and he was at it again against Larkhall, pulling off two fine saves from free kick efforts. However, he was unable to do anything about another free kick five minutes from time, Sam Whitson firing in from 25 yards out to give Larkhall Athletic Dev all three points.

Last season’s game between Malmesbury Vics Development and Shrewton United had been played in very difficult conditions in the final week of the 2022-23 season, a game that would almost certainly have been called off if it had been earlier in the season. It was much better conditions this Saturday as Shrewton returned to the Flying Monk for the first time since that 5-1 defeat last season and the two sides served up an entertaining encounter. It started well for the visitors as Jack Steggles put them ahead on 11 minutes. However,16-year-old Beau Hicks, who was to have a starring role in the afternoon’s proceedings for the home side on what was his debut in senior football, restored parity six minutes later. Malmesbury went in front for the first time in the game just before the half-hour mark, Shrewton failed to clear a corner and a ball in from Hicks found Robin Collier who fired in for 2-1 to the home side.The two sides would turn round all-square though, Charlie Utterson finding the bottom corner nine minutes before the interval to make it 2-2 at the break. Just two minutes into the second half Hick’s was once again making an impact, netting his second of the game to restore Malmesbury’s lead. The 16-year-old was clearly enjoying his debut and he was once again involved in Malmesbury’s fourth of the game, setting up Joe Tranter to make it 4-2 to Malmesbury.  Shrewton gave themselves hope of getting something out of the game nine minutes from time, Lewis Cross firing in for his 14^th of the season. There was to be no equaliser though as Malmesbury held out to pick up their first win since the beginning of November.

The last time Trowbridge Town had won at Woodmarsh in the League was way back in August on the second Saturday of the season. A combination of rain, frozen pitches, cup games and opposition calling off has seen Trowbridge go 168 days without a home league win. Despite creating most of the chances in the first half Trowbridge found themselves trailing 2-1 at the break against Ludgershall Sports thanks to goals from Cameron Metcalfe and Jake Parton, James Rustell with the Trowbridge goal. Whatever manager Ryan Baggs said to his side at half-time it certainly did the trick as his side came out and produced a storming second half performance that saw them score six unanswered goals to secure the three points. The six goals included a second half hat-trick for Rustell, his four goals in the game taking his tally for the season to six. The other two scorers for Trowbridge were George Bendle, who bagged a brace, and Liam Milburn. Despite the big win Trowbridge remain in the bottom half of the table but have games in hand and will be expected to climb the table in the second half of the season if they can repeat that second half performance in their remaining games.

Action from Trowbridge Town's big 7-2 win over Ludgershall.

(pictures courtesy of Alwyn Bodman)

Kingsdown manager Adrian Wilkinson was up against his former club Wroughton in a game switched to the 3G at Kingsdown School due to ongoing issues with part of the pitch at Southbrook Recreation Ground following the wet weather last month. It didn’t start well for Wilkinson’s side as they went 2-0 down but three goals of their own saw them come back to lead 3-2. However, three late goals for visitors Wroughton ensured it was them who took the three points courtesy of a 5-3 score line. Leading scorer Jonathan Peachey-Score and Luke Saunders both scored twice with veteran Jonny Davoile getting the other Wroughton goal.

Jono Peachey-Score (2) and Jonny Davoile who were both on target in Wroughton's 5-3 away win over Kingsdown.

Shrivenham manager Glenn Horsell made a bold statement in midweek that there was no reason why his side couldn’t finish fourth in the league and his side certainly delivered again on Saturday away at Melksham Town Reserves. They made it back-to-back wins after last week's victory over Shrewton United thanks to goals from Kieron Sutton and Matt Horsell in a 2-1 success at the Oakfield Stadium, Ollie Farrell with the reply for Melksham. The win for Shrivenham saw them move above their beaten opponents into eighth spot in the table. Melksham are back in action in midweek when they play Wroughton in the one outstanding Fountain Trophies Quarter Final tie.

Division One

The big game of the day in Divison One was at the Red House Purton where the home side, who started the day in third place, entertained top of the table Park United. Since the turn of the year Purton have been in a rich vein of form, winning all four of their games in January. Those victories included a win against title chasing Faringdon Town, with Levi Cox scoring in the last three of those victories. Cox once again found the net in this top of the table clash with Park, scoring for the fourth consecutive game. However, that winning run was brought to an end by the current leaders, Lewis McCarron and Corey Harbour-Burgess scoring in a 2-1 win for Park. The winner from Harbour-Burgess coming from a free kick five minutes from time to ensure his side remain top of the table with 16 games played.

Second place Faringdon Town kept the pressure on the leaders with a comfortable 7-0 home win over Bishops Cannings. Josh Forth set them on their way heading in from a Matt Pill corner with just nine minutes on the clock. It remained just the one until the half-hour mark when a knock down from Jamie Broadfield found Kyle Bowyer and Faringdon’s leading scorer made no mistake to put his side 2-0 in front. Broadfield was once again the provider of the next Faringdon goal, setting up Liam Hares to make it 3-0. Hares then notched his second of the game getting on the end of a Sam Leech cross to put his side 4-0 up. There was still time for one more before half time, a dipping volley from 35 yards out from Raymond Lovell giving the Bishops Cannings keeper no chance to round off an impressive first half showing from the title challengers. Faringdon took their foot off the peddle a little bit in the second half adding just two more goals. Adam Sly put Faringdon 6-0 up before going from scorer to provider, setting up Jamie Broadfield for Faringdon’s seventh goal in the final minute of the match. To compound the visitor’s misery, they had two players sent off right at the end of the game.

Devizes Town Reserves started the afternoon in fourth place in the table and travelled to Shrivenham Development looking to avenge the surprise 4-2 home defeat they suffered at the hands of Shrivenham at the beginning of September. The game tuned out to be the proverbial game of two halves as Devizes raced into a 5-1 half time lead thanks to two goals from Ben Tylee in the first 15 minutes of the game plus further strikes from Cullen Wylie, Harvey Swain and Liam Moffat. A much better showing from Shrivenham in the second half saw them reduce the deficit twice, Taylor Edwards with both goals adding to the one he scored in the first half as he completed his hat-trick, but the damage had already been done in the first half. The win saw Devizes moved level on points with Purton and, with the two sides having identical goal difference, Devizes moved above Purton in the table by reason of having scored more goals. 

Marlborough Town kept in touch with the top four with a 4-0 home win over Lambourn Sports. Jake Farrell was once again amongst the goals netting his 24^th of the season for the home side but on this occasion, he was outgunned by Max Etheridge who scored two of the Marlborough goals, the fourth coming courtesy of an own goal. Marlborough are just two points behind both Devizes Town Reserves and Purton and with a game in hand over Devizes.

Kintbury Rangers Development are also now starting to make a challenge at the top end of the table and registered their fourth straight win when they defeated Cricklade Town at the Recreation Ground. They led 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Jamie Gannon and Jamie Wallin but goals from Nial Francis and Thomas Whitham with his fifth of the season brought visitors Cricklade back on level terms. Cricklade have a habit of conceding late goals in games of late and it was to be no different in this one, Harry Murtagh scoring in the last minute of the game to give Kintbury a 3-2 win. Kintbury remain in seventh place, six points behind Marlborough Town but with two games in hand. They are back in action on Friday night when they host Shrivenham Development under lights at the Recreation Ground.  

The local derby game at the bottom of the table between Stratton Juniors and Kingsdown Development went the way of visitors Kingsdown. Stratton’s cause was not helped by having a player sent off after just 14 minutes and Kingsdown took full advantage of the extra man to pick up a third win of the season and also record their second clean sheet of the season. On target for Kingsdown were Bongumenzi Ceko, Josh Atwell and Adam Bright.

3 February 2024