Melksham Town Res winners of the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup Season 2023-24

Fountain Trophies Senior Cup

On a warm, sunny, and bright day it was fitting that the star of the show in the 42^nd Wiltshire Senior League Senior Cup Final was Melksham Town Reserves' Josh Bright. Back in November 2021 Bright suffered a cardiac arrest and had to be placed in an induced coma. Thankfully he survived this health scare and has been able to successfully return to playing the game he loves. In Saturday’s final against Larkhall Athletic Development he scored one of the two goals that secured the cup for Melksham and was a thorn in the side of the Larkhall defence all afternoon with his pace.

The opening half was a cagey affair with the two sides generally cancelling each other out, with Larkhall having the better of things in terms of possession and chances created, but with the defences very much on top. The Melksham back line led by captain Nick Chandler and the impressive Jaiden Pearce dealt well with the pacey front three of Larkhall, Dawid Regula, Andreas Smolka and Raphael Oppong only really creating a handful of clear-cut chances between them all afternoon, most of which came in the first half. One of those chances came just four minutes into the game, Ben Riccio putting Regula clear of the defence, but he fired his shot straight at Melksham keeper Olly Clarke for an easy save for the young Melksham stopper.

The next real chance again went the way of Regula, who once again got behind the defence, but an exceptional recovering tackle denied him the goalscoring opportunity before he could get his shot away. At the other end the long throws of Melksham’s Luke Curtis were testing out the Larkhall back line. However, the threat from the throw-ins was dealt with comfortably by the Larkhall defence, captain James Book generally winning the headers or keeper Alfie Kelsey, in familiar surroundings having played 37 times for Corsham Town in the Uhlsport Hellenic League this season, coming to deal with any high balls into the box if not cleared by his defence.

On 15 minutes Larkhall had another half chance when Sam Whitson fed Oppong but his low shot went into the side netting without troubling Melksham keeper Clarke. The first booking of the game came shortly afterwards, Melksham’s Rhys Lock smashing the ball away after a free kick had been awarded against his side and the ball striking Oppong, who was down on the floor, in the face. The resulting free kick from Regula was struck with power but went well wide of the post.

Melksham’s best chance of the game up to that point came on 21 minutes, the pace of Tom Dowell seeing him get behind the Larkhall defence but his strike at goal went straight at keeper Kelsey for an easy save. The closest the two sides came to breaking the deadlock was just after the half hour mark and it probably was not an intentional effort on goal. Larkhall’s Jack Kelsey mis-hitting a cross which nearly deceived Clarke in the Melksham goal, the young keeper just doing enough to prevent the cross from going under the bar and into net.

Six minutes before the break the Larkhall front three combined well to create another chance, Oppong fed Regula who’s cross into the box saw Clarke dive bravely at the feet of Smolka to deny the Larkhall striker a shot on goal as the two teams turned around at half time with the game still looking for its first goal.

Early in the second half Regula became the second player to find his way into Referee Jamie Biddlecombe’s notebook. Shortly after the deadlock was to be broken, and the goal went the way of Melksham, Bright getting in behind the Larkhall defence to fire his side ahead with a well taken goal. Larkhall sought to respond straight away, and a golden chance fell the way of Andreas Smolka, a pass found him clean through on goal but the advancing Clarke produced an excellent save but in reality the striker should have done better.

Whilst Larkhall had the better of things in the first half the second half saw Melksham impose themselves more on the game and they started to look the more likely side to add to their goal tally. Just after the hour mark another chance fell the way of Bright after he intercepted a back pass that was played short, but his effort went just the wrong side of the post. Two minutes later Melksham went close again, a Jake Dodge corner coming back off the crossbar before being cleared by Larkhall.

Melksham continued to push had another good chance from a set-piece when a foul on the edge of the 18-yard box saw the award of a free kick. Bright took responsibility for the kick, but his effort was fired straight into the wall and cleared by Larkhall.

At the other end, ten minutes from time Larkhall were awarded a free kick in a similar position with Regula and Oppong stood over the kick. A dummy by Regula saw Oppong strike the ball with his left foot but the free-kick was headed clear for a corner by the Melksham defence. However, the corner was wasted by Larkhall as it was fired straight into the side netting at the near post, and it remained 1-0.

With the clock running down there was to be another goal but unfortunately for Larkhall it was a second for Melksham. Elliot Haffenden, who had been introduced as a late substitute, had been causing the tired legs in the Larkhall defence all kinds of trouble since his introduction. Running at the defence he beat a couple of defenders before slotting the ball past Kelsey in the Larkhall goal for 2-0 and a fine individual goal. Cue mass celebrations involving most of the Melksham players as they knew the game was as a good as won now.

In the closing minute of the game Haffenden again created a chance through his own endeavours, once again getting behind the Larkhall back line, rounding keeper Kelsey, but seeing his shot hit the outside of the post. At the other end, when an effort from distance from Eddy Pope went just over the bar Larkhall knew it was just not going to be their day. Larkhall’s James Payton was a late name in the referee’s book , fouling in frustration after losing the ball.

Moments later 18-year-old referee Biddlecombe, who had been excellent all afternoon, demonstrating maturity way beyond his years and clearly destined to be the next referee from Wiltshire to progress to greater things, blew for the final whistle and confirmed Melksham Town Reserves as the cup winners for the fourth time, adding to their wins in 2009, 2015 and 2018. Congratulations to them on an excellent cup final performance and commiserations to Larkhall Athletic Development who had played their part in another fine cup final. The trophy and mementos were presented to the two sides and the match officials by League President John Gingell and League Chairman Brian Busson.

Result: Larkhall Athletic Development 0 Melksham Town Res 2 (Bright, Haffenden)

Teams

Larkhall Ath - Alfie Kelsey, Jack Kelsey, Matty Morris, James Book, Harvey Kendrick, Ben Whitson, Ben Riccio, Andreas Smolka, Dawid Regula, Raphael Oppong, Sam Whitson. Subs: Lewis Dixon, James Payton, Eddy Pope, Tom Ellis-Ricketts, Louis Mann.

Melksham Town Res - Olly Clarke, Jaiden Pearce, Luke Curtis, Nick CHandler, Rhys Lock, Aron Byfield, Tom Dowell, Sam Dowell, Josh Bellamy, Josh Bright, Jamie Ellis. Subs: Liam Curtis, Elliot Haffenden, Jake Dodge, Sam Whitehead, Alex Nunn.

Man of the Match: Josh Bright

More pictures from the final can be found on the League's Facebook Group page.

Melksham Town Res winners of the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup Season 2023-24

Click on picture below to view PDF of the Cup Final Programme

Premier Division

Saturday saw the one outstanding league fixture in the Premier Division completed and it was a good afternoon for Kingsdown who came away from Ludgershall Sports with all three points following a 3-0 win. Forced into playing three games a week in the closing weeks of the season to finish their fixtures by the amended deadline set by the FA, Kingsdown dug deep to find one more performance to end the season on a winning note. Goals from Tyler Preedy, a 13^th of the season from Antonio Gerrish and a third scored by Adam Bright did the damage for Kingsdown. The win saw them move above Wroughton into tenth spot in the final table.

Division One

There were also two games played in Division One on Saturday with Kintbury Rangers Development, Bratton and Pewsey Vale Development all completing their fixtures. Kintbury Rangers Development entertained Bratton and it was the Wiltshire Junior Cup finalists who ended the season on a winning note, securing a league double over Kintbury with a 5-1 win. It was a good afternoon for Joe Moloney who helped himself to a hat-trick, Brandon Thompson and Brandon Wheeler with other Bratton goals, Toby Thorp with the consolation goal for Kintbury.

There were also plenty of goals at Pewsey Recreation Ground where Pewsey Vale Development and visitors Lambourn Sports shared eight goals, with Lambourn coming out on top in their penultimate game of the season, 5-3 the final score. The Lambourn goals were shared around the team with one apiece for Alfie Broadbank, Scott Garrett, Josh Dopson, Finley Sly and Corey Goode. In reply for Pewsey Vale, Finlay Kiddle scored twice and their was one for Auden Pollock.

11 May 2024