Action from Kintbury Rangers impressive 7-0 win over Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves

(picture courtesy of Tony Smith)

Leaders Kintbury Rangers went top of the table in midweek with a 7-0 home win over Malmesbury Vics Development and they matched that score against Bemerton Heath Harlequins on Saturday to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table and certainly at this early stage look like a side who want to go one better than last season’s runners-up spot and lift the title for a second time. First half goals from Tom Mahoney, Terry Patton, Jake Allan, Harry Way and Jack Alfonso put them in the driving seat at half time. They eased up somewhat in the second half but did score twice more, Afonso getting his second of the game and Aiden Maycock netting his fourth goal of the season, whilst also registering a clean sheet for the sixth time in nine games.

More of Tony Smith's pictures from this game can be found at www.efc.smugmug.com

With both Letcombe and Melksham Town Reserves seeing their games postponed due to waterlogged pitches, fourth placed Wroughton had the chance to move within a point of both but had what looked a tricky away fixture at Trowbridge Town who have made some new signings to strengthen their squad this last week. It started well for the home side Trowbridge when they were awarded a penalty in the opening minute after a foul on Francois Allen. Jamie Lyons took responsibility for the spot kick and made no mistake to register his third goal of the season. However, the lead was not to last long as Wroughton were back on level terms nine minutes in, Aaron Maximen heading in from point blank range to make it 1-1. There were chances at both ends with young Trowbridge keeper Jack Amor saving well from Wroughton’s leading scorer Jono Peachey-Score and Allen and Lyons both being denied by saves at the other end, but the teams turned round with it all square at 1-1. Trowbridge were to regain the lead just before the hour mark, Allen being put clear of the Wroughton defence, rounding the Wroughton stand-in keeper Max Scholefield who normally plays in midfield these days, and firing in for 2-1. It then got even better for the home side, with Nick Taylor adding a third within moments of coming off the substitute bench. Any chance of Wroughton making a comeback were effectively ended 12 minutes from time when Peachey-Score picked up a second yellow card and Wroughton were reduced to ten men. The win for Trowbridge saw them climb a place in the table to tenth spot.   

More of Alwyn Bodman's pictures from this game can be viewed on the League Facebook Group page.

Pewsey Vale also had the chance to make up ground on Melksham and Letcombe when they travelled into Swindon to take on Kingsdown. They were very much on top in the first half and created a number of chances. The closest they came to scoring in that opening half was a shot from Brandon Vincent that went just wide of the post and leading scorer Josh Fowler also had a couple of chances firing one shot wide from the edge of the six-yard box and then seeing another low effort turned away by Kingsdown keeper Dan Lawrence. At the other end Kingsdown’s Josh Atwell had a good effort that was well saved by the Pewsey keeper. Right at the end of the half Pewsey had a penalty shout for a handball which, on another day could have been given, but the appeals were waved away and the teams turned around with the game still looking for its first goal. Whilst the two teams had failed to find their range in front of goal it was to be a different story after the break for Kingsdown. Pewsey had an early chance when Vincent hit a curling shot from the edge of the box that went just the wrong side of the post. James Guthrie then hit the post with another shot from outside the box but it was Kingsdown who were to go in front, Stefan Edwards with a looping shot from the right hand side into the far top corner of the net for 1-0 to the home side. They then doubled their lead with a header from William Middler from a Josh Atwell corner hit in at pace. Atwell was again the provider for a third for Kingsdown, his run down the right saw him beat his defender cut back in and lay the ball off perfectly to Ollie While who fired in with a low shot into the bottom corner of the net for 3-0. At the other end Fowler went close with an effort which was well saved by Lawrence in the Kingsdown goal and Pewsey were left to rue those missed chances in the first half as Kingsdown picked up their fifth win of the season and moved up to seventh spot in the table. Your Sport Swindon were their with their cameras and subscribers can view the highlights by clicking on the link below or access them from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website where all other games covered by Your Sport Swindon in the league can be accessed.

Park United are up to sixth place in the table after edging an entertaining game against Shrewton United by the odd goal in a seven-goal match. It looked like it would be a comfortable afternoon for Darrin Moss’ side when they led 4-0 after 70 minutes thanks to a hat-trick from Corey Harbour-Burgess and one from Joe Lamb. However, Shrewton did not give up and came back strongly to score three of their own in the final 20 minutes through Brennan Knowles (2) and Ben Spratt but Park ensured they did not concede a fourth to bag their fifth win in their opening eight games.

Calne Town Reserves are one of the form sides in the division and were involved in an entertaining encounter with Faringdon Town at Tucker Park. Calne went into the game unbeaten in three whilst Faringdon had lost two games on the bounce. Faringdon had the better early chances in the game without finding the net. Calne gradually grew into the game and started to create chances of their own and went in front on 19 minutes, Jack Smith being put through from a neat pass from Matthew Robinson and then executing a fine chip over the outrushing Jack Gibson in the Faringdon goal. Faringdon were back on level terms just before the half hour mark, leading scorer Kyle Bowyer capitalising on hesitation in the Calne defence to race away and finish in style with a side footed shot for 1-1. Parity did not last long though as Calne were back in front within three minutes thanks to a superb curling shot from Smith from the edge of the box into the far top corner of the net for his second of the game, this after Faringdon had somehow cleared an initial effort from Thomas Gates off the line. Moments later Smith went close to getting a hat-trick goal when a cross from the tricky Gates found him inside the box, but his quickly taken shot went just wide of the post. Calne were to extend their lead shortly after though, Matthew Robinson hitting a tremendous free kick from outside the box after a foul on Gates, giving Gibson in the Faringdon goal no chance for 3-1 to Calne. Gates, who was causing the Faringdon defence all kinds of problems, went close to getting a goal of his own, being denied by a great save by Gibson who turned the shot onto the post and it was cleared to safety.

Within a minute of the restart Faringdon thought they had pulled one back following a corner, Josh Forth putting the ball into the net only to see his effort struck off by an assistant’s flag. They would not be denied for long though, a long ball over the top saw leading scorer Bowyer clear of the Calne defence and he fired a low shot into the far corner of the net for 3-2. Calne gave themselves some breathing space just after the hour mark, as Smith went from scorer to provider with a ball to the far post which saw Harry Stiles do well to turn the ball back across goal and the ball went in off Sean Bailey to restore Calne’s two goal advantage. That two goal advantage did not last long though as Faringdon pulled one back within four minutes, a ball in from the right from Bowyer found Matthew Bibby who made no mistake from close range for the seventh goal of the game with 25 minutes still to play. The chances kept coming, 20 minutes from time Smith again had a golden chance for that hat-trick goal but his header went straight to Gibson. At the other end the closest Faringdon went to getting an equaliser was ten minutes from time when Bibby saw his shot deflected just wide of the goal. Calne held out to secure a 4-3 win in what had been an impressive performance and stretch that unbeaten run to four games. Your Sport Swindon were also at this game and subscribers can view the match highlights by clicking on the link below or accessing from the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website.

At the bottom end of the table Blunsdon picked up their third win of the season with a 3-1 home victory over bottom of the table Malmesbury Victoria Development which would no doubt have been enjoyed by Troy Prentice, former manager at Malmesbury, who is now the joint manager at Blunsdon. It was 0-0 at the break but an own goal followed by one from Eliot Wheatley with his first kick of the game after coming off the substitute bench. A third from Zach Bruce against his former club secured the points for Blunsdon, Ryan Collins with a late consolation goal for Malmesbury. The win for Blunsdon saw them move out of the bottom four positions.

Larkhall Athletic Development were playing in the Somerset Senior Cup on their brand new fantastic looking 3G pitch for the first time. There is to be no County Cup run for James Riccio's side this season though as they fell to a 3-1 First Round defeat at the hands of Fry Club.

Division One

There was a full schedule of seven games played in Division One and it was to prove a bad day at the office for the leaders at the start of the day, Marlborough Town. Their visitors to Elcot Lane were Down Ampney and, whilst Down Ampney were the second highest scorers in the division at the start of the day, few would have predicted the 7-1 defeat they inflicted on the league leaders. Connor Hibbs and George Bailey both bagged a brace and there were further goals from Harvey Coster, Harry Sealey and a ninth of the season from Charlie McCuish. The consolation goal for Marlborough was scored by Tom Womersley with his third of the season. The win for Down Ampney saw them climb one place in the table into third spot. The defeat for Marlborough saw them slip to fourth place in the table.

With Marlborough Town falling to that defeat Cricklade Town took full advantage to move top of the table but they were made to work hard for all three points by a hard-working young Shrivenham Dev side. The teams turned round with the game still looking for its first goal but second half strikes from Levi Cox, Harry Ayres and Scott Chilcott, the latter two both getting their fourth goals of the campaign, saw Cricklade take the three points and move top of the table.

Due to cricket, Lambourn Sports were playing their first home game of the season, but it was not to be a winning start on home turf as they were held to a 2-2 draw by visitors Bradford Town Reserves who led twice thanks to goals from Wiktor Wnuk and Tyler Robinson. However, twice Lambourn got themselves back on level terms, the second equaliser ensuring a share of the points, Jamie Stones and a ninth of the season from Lewis Shaw for Lambourn who are a point behind Cricklade but have played two more games than the leaders.

Devizes Town Reserves remain in fifth spot after a 5-2 away win at Stratton Juniors. Devizes led 3-0 at the break and looked to be coasting to victory but Stratton Juniors came out strongly in the second half pulling back two goals to make it 3-2. However, any chance of a comeback was ended by two further Devizes goals as they ran out 5-2 winners. For Devizes there were two goals for both Jordan Anning and Harvey Swain, Finley Thomas with the other Devizes goal.  Inreply for Stratton Juniors it was one goal apiece for Sam Lowrie and Taylor Edwards.

Near neighbours Bishops Cannings remained on their coat tails picking up a fifth win in seven games following a 5-3 home victory over Kingsdown Development. Szymon Raczek was the star of the show for Bishops Cannings smashing his second hat-trick of the season, Oliver Barnes and Caleb Hollow with the other two Bishops Cannings goals. Bishops Cannings are level on points with Devizes with both teams having played seven games. Reece Ricks, Callum Miller and a third of the season from Liam Geraghty in reply for Kingsdown Dev.

Biggest winners of the day were Redhouse who inflicted another heavy defeat on bottom of the table Purton. Cameron Shrubb led the way helping himself to a hat-trick to move onto 11 for the season, Jack Duffy and Ethan Milelr both scored twice, with one apiece for Dan Axford and Fraser Nardoni-Parker. The win for Redhouse saw them climb a couple of places to ninth spot in the table.

There were plenty of goals in the final game of the day at Pewsey Recreation Ground where Pewsey Vale Development entertained Kintbury Rangers Development. Pewsey led 2-1 at the break but a storming second half saw Kintbury score four times with just one more for Pewsey as they ran out 5-3 winners. Harry Murtagh led the way for Kintbury with a hat-trick as he took his total for the season to nine, Charlie Allsop and Jamie Wallin with the two other Kintbury goals. For Pewsey Vale, Dominic Terrett netted his second of the season and Connor Marsden and Israel Onibudo both got their first Dev team goals of the season. The win saw Kintbury move above Bratton in the table on goal difference and into seventh place.

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8 September 2024