Premier Division

Amesbury Town are almost there in their quest for the Premier Division title and, but for the late abandonment of the game between Wroughton and Kintbury Rangers, could well have been celebrating the league title this evening, albeit in controversial circumstances. The game at Wroughton was abandoned in injury time with the score at 2-2 following the allowing of an equalising goal for Wroughton with doubts that the ball had gone on in the net from a corner. The disputing of the decision saw the sending off of a couple of Kintbury players and the referee abandon the game. The match will now be added to the list of games that needs to be considered by the Management Committee that could impact honours this season across the various divisions. Before the controversial end the division’s leadings scorer George Armstrong had bagged a brace for Kintbury and Jono Peachey-Score scoring for Wroughton.

After the game in midweek between Larkhall Athletic Development and Amesbury Town in the Fountain Trophies Cup was also abandoned it is pleasing to report that the league match between the same two sides on Saturday passed without incident with Amesbury this time coming out on top, securing a 3-1 win over fourth placed Larkhall to put one hand on that league title. Two more goals for Josh Moore took him onto 36 for the season, Keiron LeBrun with the other Amesbury goal. Amesbury could be crowned champions in midweek if Kintbury Rangers lose their game at Kingsdown. If Kintbury secure a result, Amesbury then have the chance to confirm the title in their final game also against Kingsdown next Saturday irrespective of what is decided regarding the Wroughton v Kintbury game.

Third place Pewsey Vale had another bad day at the office falling to defeat for the second consecutive game losing 4-1 on the 3G at Kingsdown School. On target for Kingsdown were Tyler Preedy who bagged a brace, Kieran O’Daly and Ollie While, Jude Cawley with the reply for Pewsey. Kingsdown remain 12^th but with six games still to play are still eying up a top half of the table finish. Next up is that visit of Kintbury Rangers on Tuesday night followed by another home game against Trowbridge Town two days later.

There was something of a goal fest at the Flying Monk between Malmesbury Vics Development and Blunsdon just hours after Malmesbury Vics first team had secured promotion to the Premier Division of the Uhlsport Hellenic League. Blunsdon’s joint manager Troy Prentice would have certainly enjoyed his return to his former home ground as two goals from Danny Hale plus further strikes from Sean Creeley and Jacob Ryan gave Blunsdon a 4-3 win over the young Vics side. On target for Malmesbury were Harry Freeth, Joe Tranter and Beau Hicks.

There were also plenty of goals at the Ian Richardson Football Ground where Shrivenham were home to Trowbridge Town. Trowbridge went in front on 13 minutes, James Rustell getting on the end of a free kick to head home to give his side an early lead. Trowbridge doubled their lead when Ben Wickens, who has returned from Bradford Town to rejoin his former club, getting on the end of a George Bendle pass, Wickens firing home after his initial shot was saved. Shrivenham responded by pulling one back within minutes of that second for Trowbridge and got back on level terms just before the hour mark, Matt Horsell and Finnlay Hopkins with the two Shrivenham goals. There was to a winner though, Wickens getting on the end of a Lewis Wayman corner for his second of the game to give Trowbridge all three points. The win for Trowbridge saw them climb one place in the table to 10^th spot.

Calne Town Reserves became the second team after Shrewton United to complete their fixtures and finished in style with a 4-0 away win at Melksham Town Reserves. Star of the show was Sean Bailey who scored a hat-trick for the second consecutive game, Matt Ashman with the other goal for Calne. For now, Calne sit ninth in the table, but with the three teams below them all having at least four games to play and a cushion of just two points a 12^th place finish could well be the final outcome.

Sean Bailey who scored another hat-trick for Calne Town Res in their 4-0 win at Melksham Town Res

Division One

There were five games played in Division One and once again it remains as you were at the top of the table with all of the top four having winning afternoons. League leaders Park United were up against Devizes Town Reserves in a re-staging of the game between the two which had been abandoned earlier in the season due to the referee pulling up injured ten minutes from time and the two teams not agreeing on a replacement. That day Park Utd were leading 1-0 at the time of the abandonment and they were to once again come out on top in the restaged game with a come from behind win. Declan McStravick gave Devizes the lead with his second goal of the season but goals from Corey-Harbour Burgess and Lewis McCarron turned things around to give Park all three points.

Second placed Faringdon Town kept the pressure on Park United with a hard-fought home win over Marlborough Town. The two sides had met just seven days ago and last week Faringdon had secured a comfortable 5-1 win, but it was a much closing affair in the return match with a solitary goal from Faringdon’s Luke Davenport, heading home from a Matt Pill corner seven minutes into the second half, proving to be the difference between the two sides.  Faringdon have two games to play away to Bratton next Saturday and then against Kingsdown Development on Bank Holiday Monday, whilst Park United finish away to Shrivenham Development next Saturday. Just three points separate the sides but with Faringdon having a superior goal difference that could yet be the deciding factor if both sides win their remaining games.

Third placed Purton will be hoping that the top two slip up in their remaining fixtures and kept the pressure on with a 3-1 away win at Pewsey Vale Development thanks to goals from Parker Fisher, Ashton Glover and a Levi Cox penalty, Israel Onibudo replying for Pewsey with his seventh goal of the season. Purton remain three points behind Faringdon with away games at Kintbury Rangers Dev and Devizes Town Res still to play.

Fourth placed Bratton also maintained their involvement in the quest for honours with a 4-0 away win at Lambourn Sports. It was a good afternoon for Max Bishop who fired a hat-trick for the visitors, Louis Wilkins with the other Bratton goal. Bratton trail Purton by six points but with two games in hand, their four remaining fixtures are that home game against Faringdon and away games against Marlborough Town, Shrivenham Development and Kintbury Rangers Development.  

The final game of the day was an entertaining affair in Swindon between Stratton Juniors, who were playing their final game of the season, and Kintbury Rangers Development. Blake Foss gave Stratton the lead, but Charlie Allsop brough Kintbury back on level terms with the equaliser before half time. Jamie Wallen gave Kintbury the lead for the first time after the break, but Corey Cullen brought Stratton back on level terms with his 25^th of the season. There was to be a winner though, Ali Thorp grabbing a third goal for Kintbury to give the visitors the win. With games in hand over the sides above them they could yet still achieve a top five finish.

27 April 2024