Just one game has been played in the past fortnight in the Under 18 Floodlight Division of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League which is a good summary of the frustrating Under 18 Division this season, mainly driven by the awful weather, where three teams still have half their league games still to play.

The one game that was played last week was at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground where Royal Wootton Bassett Town entertained FC Chippenham, a side they had defeated 3-1 in the reverse fixture back in November. It started well for the home side, Fred Allman, who was to have an impressive game on his debut for the club, getting behind the Chippenham defence down the left and crossing low into the six-yard box where Rhys Westlake met it first time to put Royal Wootton Bassett Town ahead. Edward Oatley went close to an equaliser for FC Chippenham, his effort from the edge of the box being saved by Royal Wootton Bassett Town keeper Thomas Davis. However, it was to be Royal Wootton Bassett Town who would get the next goal, Jamie Wright getting behind the visitors’ defence only to be brought down in the box by Oliver Bullock, the FC Chippenham defender picking up a yellow card as a result of his mistimed tackle. Sam Case gave the keeper no chance with the resulting penalty to make it 2-0 to Royal Wootton Bassett Town. There was to be one more goal in the first half and again it went the way of the home side with a virtual carbon copy of the opener. Once again Allman got behind the FC Chippenham defence down the left flank, again crossing low into the six-yard box where once again Westlake was on hand to fire home for 3-0.

Both teams had chances after the break, but it was Royal Wootton Bassett Town who extended their lead in bizarre circumstances, an attempted clearance from a FC Chippenham defender striking substitute Beau Hicks and ricochetting into an empty net with Hicks knowing very little about it. It had not all been one way traffic and FC Chippenham were rewarded for their efforts with a goal of their own, a fine individual effort from Edward Oatley who had looked the most likely to get something for the visitors all night. The FC Chippenham striker cutting in from the left-hand side of the area to fire a shot into the far corner of the net from the edge of the area to make it 4-1. The visitors went in search of a second and went close to getting it when another shot from Oatley came back off the post. FC Chippenham then struck the frame of the goal again when a looping shot from the left came back off the cross bar and was cleared to safety. There was to be no further scoring on the night as it finished 4-1 to Royal Wootton Bassett who completed a league double over FC Chippenham and went top of the table although their lead is just a single point over Kintbury Rangers who have four games in hand. Your Sport Swindon were there with their cameras to capture the action and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below or clicking on the link from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League website where you will also find the links to other games in the League covered by Your Sport Swindon.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town now have just three more games to play whilst the likes of Radstock Town and Melksham Town still have nine games to fit in. The season is scheduled to end on Friday 3^rd May and cannot really be extended too much beyond that date with A level exams set to be held in the middle of May. For some teams that will now mean games having to be scheduled in the Easter School holidays and/or having to play two games a week to get the season finished.

25 February 2024