Just three of the five scheduled Under 18 fixtures survived this week’s wet weather, two of which were on 3G surfaces. The one game to survive on grass was at Calne and credit to the Calne Town groundsman for ensuring the pitch survived this week’s heavy downpours. Calne Town were rewarded for their efforts in getting the game on by securing a narrow 3-2 win over Devizes Town and are now one of three clubs sat on nine points at the top of the table after the opening month of the season.
Calne though have played one more game than the other two sides FC Chippenham and Swindon Supermarine. FC Chippenham saw their scheduled game away at Kintbury Rangers on Monday night postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
No such problems at Swindon Academy for Swindon Supermarine on their 3G pitch on Thursday night where they entertained near neighbours Wims 11. For the second time this season Swindon Supermarine recorded a 5-1 home victory to make it three wins out of three from their opening set of fixtures, matching FC Chippenham's start to the season, and certainly look to be strong title contenders this season.
Radstock Town finally got their league season up and running after being otherwise engaged in the FA Youth Cup. On Monday night they were away to Westbury United at Green Lane and it was to be a winning start for Ian Lanning’s side as they returned with all three points following a 6-1 win.
The other scheduled game this week between Amesbury Town and Bishops Cannings was the second game to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, a heavy shower on Thursday lunch time after the pitch had been passed fit and successfully marked out in the morning, giving the club no choice but to postpone.
Next week sees just four league fixtures due to Westbury Youth and Wims having to stage their First Round Wiltshire County Youth Cup game, postponed from a couple of weeks ago, with the next round set to be staged a week Sunday. Of the four games just one is set to be on 3G, that being Monday night’s scheduled game between Devizes Town and Swindon Supermarine at Green Lane. The other three games are all on grass and it is hoped that the rain eases up ahead of next week’s games. In addition to that game at Devizes on Monday night, also on Monday Kintbury Rangers are scheduled to play Bishops Cannings, whilst the two games on Thursday night see Amesbury Town host Radstock Town and Melksham Town entertain near neighbours Calne Town.
Please note that there will no longer be the usual roundups of games, pictures nor list of leading goal scorers in the Under 18 Division this coming season by order of the FA. If this is causing disappointment with your players, who we know like to see their goal scoring exploits publicised, please take the matter up with the Wilts FA as we are just doing as we have been told. We have given them are strong views on the matter.
We queried this week why the FA themselves are allowed to include a match report on the their own U18 team on their website, and list all players who played, but we are not allowed to include details of scorers etc in this league. The explanation provided by the FA at Wembley is shown below:
27 September 2024
