The opening round of fixtures in the two new Ladies Divisions of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League produced plenty of goals on Sunday as well as several close games.
Premier Division
In the Premier Division eight of the ten teams got their league season underway with FC Chippenham being otherwise engaged in the First Qualifying Round of the Women’s FA Cup. Unfortunately, their interest in the competition was swiftly ended as they fell to a 10-0 defeat away at Frome Town, but at least they had the consolation of picking up £450 from the enhanced prize money for this season’s competition which will no doubt help club funds.
Bemerton Heath Harlequins are the only other team to have entered the FA Cup this season but had a bye in the First Qualifying Round and are set to meet Sherborne Town in the Second Qualifying Round on Sunday 22nd September. They got their league season off to a winning start with a big win over Westbury Youth. Zoe Ridley fired a hat-trick for Bemerton in a 13-0 win with the other goals coming through Ellie Hayward (2), Imogen Brady (2), Leanne Harvey (2), Leanne Griffiths-Lower, Amy Hards, Caitlin Lower and Deyna Davie.
Swindon Supermarine were another side to secure a big win on opening day scoring nine unanswered goals away at Durrington. Chanel Crewe was the star of the show smashing a double hat-trick with Amy Dilley, Ellie Philpott and Milli Swift also on target for Supermarine.
It was a much tighter affair in the game between Highworth Town and Kingsdown. After losing all the games that they played last season, Kingsdown look to be a much tougher proposition this season and they led 1-0 thanks to a goal early in the second half from Julietta Munanau against a side that had beaten them twice 9-0 last season. However, Highworth came back strongly to score two goals of their own, both of which were scored by Lauren Bulley, the winner coming just five minutes from time.
The final game of the weekend in the Premier Division was at Beversbrook where Calne Town entertained the new side AFC Brislington who come into the new season as something of an unknown quantity. They got their season off to a winning start, securing a 4-2 victory thanks to two goals from Emily Plummer and further strikes from Charlotte Morrison and Libby Sims, Cery Jones with two replying for Calne.
Next Sunday two of the teams who made winning starts to the season, AFC Brislington and Bemerton Heath Harlequins will go head-to-head at Brislington. FC Chippenham get their league campaign underway with a trip into Swindon to take on Kingsdown, whilst Melksham who were without a game last Sunday due to that FC Chippenham FA Cup game, commence their season with a home fixture against Durrington who will be looking to bounce back from that opening day defeat. Swindon Supermarine will look to make it two wins from two when they host Calne Town whilst Westbury Youth will look to bounce back from Sunday’s defeat against Bemerton when they entertain Highworth Town.
Development Division
The four games played in the Development Division on the opening day of the season saw wins for Marlborough Town, Malmesbury Victoria, Staverton Rangers and Trowbridge Wanderers. Biggest winners of the afternoon were Marlborough Town who scored 12 unanswered goals against a spirited Blunsdon side who were playing their first competitive fixture. Sophie Feakes opened the scoring in the first minute of the match and went on to score three more times, substitute Emily Feilder hit a second half hat-trick, Victoria Goldson and Kerry Ash both netted twice with Isabella Curtis getting the other Marlborough goal in the 12-0 win. A heavy defeat but Blunsdon’s results will no doubt improve as the season progresses.
Two more newly formed sides met at Moredon where Ferndale Rodbourne entertained Malmesbury Victoria. It was to be Malmesbury’s afternoon as two goals from Amalie Gray and Laura Deacon plus one from Lisa Lane, coupled with a clean sheet for Rhianon Stidever, secured a 5-0 win for Malmesbury.
There was a close contest at Kingsdown School where Kingsdown Development entertained Staverton Rangers with the visitors edging it by the odd goal in five. Kingsdown player manager Racine Bailey was on target with one of the two Kingsdown goals, the other coming courtesy of an own goal, Staverton’s three strikes coming courtesy of Hollie-Mai Greenland, Sarah Williams and Bella Cousins.
The final game of the weekend in the Development Division was at Trowbridge where two first half goals from Emily Hutchinson plus a third from Annabelle Simeonova seven minutes from time gave Trowbridge Wanderers a 3-1 winning start against Salisbury, Hannah Owen with the reply for Salisbury.
This coming Sunday the top match looks to be the game between Marlborough Town and Trowbridge Wanderers who both got their seasons off to a winning start on Sunday. Staverton Rangers will look to make it two wins from their opening two games when they entertain South Newton & Barford Hornets who will be playing their first game of the season. Two sides who fell to opening day defeats, Salisbury and Kingsdown, meet at Salisbury whilst the final game of the weekend sees Malmesbury looking to make it two wins form two when they host Blunsdon in a game likely to be staged at Malmesbury Youth’s ground at Red Bull due to ongoing maintenance issues at the Flying Monk Ground.
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2 September 2024
