Two more for Josh Moore in Amesbury's 5-2 local derby win over Shrewton United to add to his hat-trick in midweek
Premier Division
Once again, the weather took its toll on the fixtures involving the Premier Division sides in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League with four of the scheduled games on Saturday postponed, including the Fountain Trophies Quarter Final tie between Melksham Town Reserves and Wroughton. That has now been rearranged for next Wednesday night at Melksham with the two sides helpfullt collaborating to produce a quick solution to the rescheduling of the game.
There had been one game played in midweek on Tuesday night when league leaders Amesbury Town visited Calne Town Reserves. It would prove to be a good evening for Amesbury. Arran Moore put them one up with 19 minutes on the clock after good work from Ben Morris. However, as had been the case last Saturday against Kintbury, Amesbury were not at their best in the opening half and struggled to break down a determined young Calne side. They did manage to double their lead in injury time at the end of the half though, Arran Moore going from scorer to provider setting up Josh Moore for his 20th of the season (after adjusting for the goals against Odd Down which have now been wiped from the record books). It remained 2-0 until 18 minutes from time when the two Moore’s once again combined, and with the same result, as Josh Moore netted his second of the game to put his side three up. Calne pulled one back six minutes from time through Zach Bruce but two minutes from time Moore completed his hat-trick chipping the keeper after getting on the end of a through ball from Alex Deere to make the final score 4-1 to Amesbury. The win for Amesbury saw them open up a seven point lead at the top of the table over Kintbury.
The four games in the league that went ahead on Saturday included league leaders Amesbury Town’s short trip to near neighbours Shrewton United. When the two sides had met at Amesbury back at the beginning of September Amesbury had edged a close game 3-1. They fell behind in the return game though, conceding a penalty with just 14 minutes on the clock, Shrewton’s Ben Jenks making no mistake with the spot kick firing low into the bottom corner to put his side ahead. However, having gone one-up, they suffered a major set-back when they had a player sent off after a bad tackle which also saw melee involving a number of players with cautions for both sides in addition to the one sending off. Despite the numerical disadvantage Shrewton held onto that slender lead until seven minutes from the break when a pinpoint cross from Ben Morris on the right-hand side, found the head of Amesbury’s leading scorer Josh Moore who put the ball away for goal number 23 of the season. As had been the case last week against Kintbury and again in midweek against Calne, Amesbury had not really got going in the first half and were hoping that they could repeat their second half showing from the previous two games. It remained all square until just after the hour mark when a lofted ball into the box, saw a mix up between the Shrewton keeper Sam Gates and a defender allowing the ball to bounce into the path of Josh Moore who made no mistake from just two yards out to put his side ahead and move his total for the season onto 24. Amesbury extended their lead five minutes later, a close-range effort from Ben Morris was well saved by Gates but Harry Hale was following up and volleyed home powerfully to make it 3-1. The game was effectively ended as a contest twelve minutes from time when Robbie Owen was fouled on the edge of the box. Amesbury’s free kick expert Kieron LeBrun took the resulting free kick and fired in for his sixth goal of the season to make it 4-1 to Amesbury. Four minutes from time Amesbury added a fifth when a cross from Ben Morris was met with his head by Robbie Owen, the header was well saved by Gates, but Owen was following up and fired home to put his side 5-1 up. There was still time for one more goal which came a minute from time when Shrewton were awarded a second penalty. Having opened the afternoon’s scoring Ben Jenks also rounded off a game of seven goals with the final goal of the day, firing home from the penalty spot for a second time to give Shrewton a late consolation goal in a 5-2 defeat. The win for Amesbury opened up a ten-point lead over Kintbury Rangers at the top of the table. For Shrewton that is now five straight defeats and they will look to bring that unwanted run to an end next week when they make the journey north to take on Wroughton.
Fourth placed Royal Wootton Bassett Town travelled to Bath to take on the side who started the day just below them in the table, Larkhall Athletic Development. Larkhall had switched the game to the 3G at Odd Down Sports Ground to ensure that the fixture went ahead. In an entertaining game between two young sides, the game was settled just after the hour mark by a solitary goal from Rhys Talmash, who was making his debut for Larkhall Athletic against one of his many former clubs. Talmash getting on the end of a Matt Morris delivery with head to score the decisive goal. Larkhall had the chanced to double their lead late on when Talmash was pulled down in the area, but Lewis Dixon saw his penalty saved by Dan West in the Royal Wootton Bassett Town goal. The win for Larkhall saw them swap places in the league table with their beaten opponents.
There was also a game on the adjoining grass pitch at Odd Down, with Trowbridge Town also switching their game against Shrivenham to the Odd Down site due to continuing problems with Woodmarsh as a result of the incessant rain since the turn of the year. They were rewarded for their efforts in switching their game by providing the travelling fans with a win and an entertaining game that produced five goals. Trowbridge went in front with just seven minutes on the clock, Nick Taylor heading home from a Liam Milburn corner to give his side the lead. Trowbridge went close to extending their lead from another Milburn corner, Josh Howlett seeing his header cleared off the line. Trowbridge did get a second before the break though, Simon Millard getting on the end of a ball from Adam Shipman to double Trowbridge’s advantage going into half time. Shrivenham came out for the second half looking to get a foothold back in the game and pulled one back within four minutes of the restart, Kieran Sutton with his fourth of the campaign. Shrivenham went close to getting back on level terms on 67 minutes but were denied by the feet of Trowbridge keeper Cameron Miller. They went close again a minute later, seeing a shot blocked on the line and then the follow-up fired over the bar. They were not to be denied for much longer though, James Hirst firing home the equaliser after a scramble in the box with Trowbridge claiming a foul on keeper Miller that was not given as Shrivenham drew level at 2-2. There was to be a winner though and it came eight minutes from time, a clearance by Grant Gunning finding Millard whose shot was saved but the ball fell to Taylor who fired home from close range for his second of the game to put Trowbridge 3-2 in front. Shrivenham pushed hard for an equaliser, hitting the crossbar twice in the closing stages and also seeing Miller in the Trowbridge goal pull off a great save to deny the visitors a share of the spoils. Trowbridge hung on to register a sixth win of the season which saw them climb one place above Malmesbury Vics Development in the table to twelfth spot. Shrivenham remained in seventh spot despite the defeat.
Action from Trowbridge Town's 3-2 win over Shrivenham
(picture courtesy of Alwyn Bodman)
Trowbridge Town celebrate one of their goals against Shrivenham
(picture courtesy of Alwyn Bodman)
There was another game switched to a 3G pitch with Salisbury FC Development entertaining Calne Town Reserves on the 3G at Bulford. It was to prove to be a good afternoon for visitors Calne as Kane Kauppinen and Jack Smith both registered their second goals of the season, with a third from Joe Williamson completing a 3-0 win for Calne who moved up a couple of places in the table to ninth spot as a result of the win.
Division One
There were just three games played in Division One this weekend with just Marlborough Town of the top three sides seeing their game go ahead. They came into their trip to Shrivenham Development having won back-to-back games and hoping to make up ground on the top two with a third straight win. However, things did not go to plan as a solitary strike from Shrivenham’s Taylor Edwards settled matters in the home side’s favour, avenging a heavy 7-1 defeat that Shrivenham had suffered at Marlborough on the opening day of the season. Marlborough remain in third spot but will be rueing the missed opportunity to narrow the gap at the top. The win for Shrivenham saw them climb one place in the table above near neighbours Lambourn Sports.
Sixth placed Bratton were another side looking to make up lost ground. The Wiltshire Junior Cup finalists have fallen behind with their league fixtures as a result of their County Cup run and are still very much in the promotion race. Their game against Kingsdown Development was never in doubt with the game being placed on the 3G pitch at Kingsdown School. The two sides had already met twice this season, Bratton having won 6-1 in the Wiltshire Junior Cup back at the beginning of December then 4-2 in the first league meeting between the two sides in January. They completed a treble over Kingsdown for the season, but Kingsdown gave them a much closer game showing the improvements that the young Swindon based side have made over the season. Bratton led 1-0 at half time thanks to a goal from Brandon Thomson and a second from leading scorer Jack Booth after the break put them 2-0 ahead. For Booth that was goal number 18 in what is turning out to be a very productive season for the Bratton striker. Kingsdown pulled one back five minutes from time through Josh Atwell, but Bratton saw out the closing stages without conceding again to take all three points and close the gap to both Purton and Devizes Town Res to just two points with games in hand over both the two sides immediately above them in the table.
For the second week running Cricklade Town moved their game to the 3G pitch at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground to ensure their game against Pewsey Vale Development got the go ahead. Unfortunately for them their endeavours were not rewarded with a win as goals from Sam Ashman and Harry Farrow gave visitors Pewsey all three points. The win saw Pewsey open up a four-point gap over their beaten opponents, although Cricklade have three games in hand.
24 February 2024
