Amesbury Town who moved back top of the table ahead of next week's big showdown with Kintbury Rangers
Premier Division
The wet weather once again curtailed this week’s round of fixtures in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with half of the scheduled Premier Division fixtures postponed on Saturday and just two games starting in Division One, both on 3G, although only one went the full duration. Tuesday night's scheduled quarter final tie in the Fountain Trophies Cup between Melksham Town Reserves and Wroughton had also fallen victim to a waterlogged pitch and has now been rescheduled for Saturday 24th February.
Whilst Premier Division league leaders at the start of the day Kintbury Rangers saw their home game against Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, second placed Amesbury Town were more fortunate with their away trip to Ludgershall Sports given the green light. Amesbury knew that a win would send them back top of the table and they did not disappoint their travelling support. A stunning first half display saw them lead 5-0 at half-time, Harry Lawton helping himself to a first half hat-trick in his first game of the season for the club, with further goals coming through leading scorer Josh Moore and Tyler Brockway. Amesbury then increased their lead further within three minutes of the restart, Dean Carr scoring his second of the season to make it 6-0. Ludgershall Sports then pulled one back through Tom Gee but that was as good as it got for the home side, as further goals from Ben Morris and two from Harry Hale rounded off a good afternoon for the South Wiltshire side. The 9-1 win saw Amesbury move back top of the table, a point ahead of Kintbury Rangers and with a game in hand and with a much improved goal difference ahead of next week’s big showdown between the two sides at Bonnymead Park.
Third placed Pewsey Vale were looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Calne Town Reserves when they entertained struggling Salisbury Development at the Recreation Ground. Current form would have suggested a comfortable afternoon for Craig Kent’s side, but it proved to be anything but that on a heavy pitch. Salisbury made all the early running and Pewsey Vale, at times, rode their luck. However, it was the home side who went in front. A quickly taken free kick by Ben England saw him put brother Ollie through on goal and a composed finish from the youngster put Pewsey 1-0 up somewhat against the run of play to that point. Salisbury were back on level terms by the break though, leading scoring Dyllan Roocroft scoring his eighth goal of the campaign. Pewsey Vale upped their game in the second half and went back in front around the hour mark, leading scorer James Guthrie firing home from a free kick. Pewsey sought a third but found visiting keeper Dylan Christie in fine form, Christie pulling off several stunning saves to keep his side in the match. At the other end, the visitors were unable to take any of the limited chances that came their way in the second half as Pewsey safely saw out the remaining minutes to record their 13th win of the campaign. With the record of Odd Down (Bath) Development having now been expunged following their withdrawal from the league, Pewsey sit five points behind second placed Kintbury Rangers but with a game in hand.
Blunsdon were another side looking to bounce back from defeat last week when they entertained Calne Town Reserves. It was goalless in the first half in a game that was even throughout, but the deadlock was finally broken on 55 minutes when a shot from Jamil Anderson was deflected by the Calne keeper into the path of Nick Craft who fired Blunsdon into the lead. The home side were unable to build on that lead though, in another game played on a very heavy pitch following the rain this week. With 20 minutes to go, two quickfire goals in the space of a couple of minutes from Calne’s Matthew Ashman and Matthew Robinson turned things around to give Calne a 2-1 victory and inflict a second straight home defeat for Blunsdon.
It was another tight affair on the 3G at Kingsdown School as Kingsdown switched their fixture from Southbrook Rec to the 3G pitch due to continuing problems with waterlogging at Southbrook. The match remained without a goal until three minutes before half time when visitors Malmesbury Vics Development were awarded a penalty after Jacob Pinnell had been upended in the box. Kyle Witt took the resulting spot kick and fired home to give his side the lead. Kingsdown got themselves back in the game within seven minutes of the restart, Louis O’Shea firing home after a mix-up in the visitor’s defence. It remained one apiece until seven minutes from time when Kingsdown’s Will Middler had the misfortune to put the ball into his own net to restore Malmesbury’s lead. That was to be the end of the afternoon’s scoring, but the game was to end on a controversial note when Kingsdown were denied a strong penalty shout right at the death. It was not given and Malmesbury secured a narrow 2-1 victory to move above their beaten opponents in the table, Kingsdown being unfortunate to see six points wiped off their tally following Odd Down’s withdrawal and the expunging of their record.
Division One
In Division One the one game that was completed was on the 3G at Green Lane, Devizes and it proved to be an entertaining affair between Bishops Cannings and bottom of the table Stratton Juniors. Whilst his team has struggled for the second season running, Stratton’s Corey Cullen has been in a rich vein of personal form in front of goal this season, scoring 18 of his sides 30 goals ahead of the game against Bishops Cannings. He was at it again this weekend, scoring a hat-trick to put his side 3-1 up going into the closing stages of the game. Bishops Cannings had scored their goal through Florentin Boncioaga as early as the sixth minute but two from Cullen had given Stratton a 2-1 half time lead. He completed his hat-trick after the break to take his total for the season to 21 and it looked like his side were heading for their third win of the campaign, but Bishops Cannings had other ideas. A second goal for the home side scored by Samuel Brewer, his fourth of the season, gave Bishops Cannings hope of retrieving something from the game and they did that just that a minute from time, Miles Hubbard-Davis netting the equalising goal to give his side a share of the points as it finished 3-3.
The game between top of the table Park United and third placed Devizes Town Reserves had been a tight affair throughout and with ten minutes plus injury time left, and with the game finely poised at 2-1 to Park, the referee unfortunately picked up an injury which meant he was unable to continue. Whilst Park United sourced a qualified referee in an attempt to complete the game, Devizes Town Reserves did not accept the suggested official and the game was abandoned. The fixture will now need to be discussed by the Management Committee as to whether the result at the time of the curtailment will stand or whether the game will need to be replayed.
10 February 2024
