Action from Park United's 3-1 win over Bemerton Heath Harlequins Res (picture courtesy of Tony Smith)

Two in-form sides met at Bremhill View on Saturday as Calne Town Reserves, unbeaten in six games, took on league leaders Kintbury Rangers who had yet to taste defeat this season having won ten and drawn one of their opening eleven games. It started well for Calne as goals from Harry Stiles and Sean Bailey gave the home side a 2-0 lead at the break. Whilst the first half belonged to Calne it was a different story after the break as Kintbury came back strongly despite being reduced to ten men. Goals from   Luke Polding and Ollie Denner giving them a share of the points and maintained that unbeaten record. For Calne Town Reserves that is now seven games unbeaten but, as a result of results elsewhere, they fell three places in the table to ninth spot, although are just one point off fourth place in what is a keenly contested division this season.

With Kintbury Rangers dropping points the two teams behind them in the table took advantage to close the gap at the top of the table. Second placed Wroughton were away at Melksham Town Reserves and repeated the score that they achieved on their last league visit to the Oakfield Stadium, Jonathan Peachey-Score who had scored a hat-trick in last season’s 3-0 win again on the score sheet with further goals from Kassa Anderson and Elijah Dadey on his Wroughton debut in another 3-0 win.

Third placed Pewsey Vale had to come from behind to take all three points away at Shrivenham. Trailing 1-0 at the break to a goal from Shrivenham’s Jacob Newdick. Having twice hit the bar in the last ten minutes of the first half, Pewsey continued to push hard after the break to get back into the game and once they found a way through, they went on to score two more to run out 3-1 winners. Two more for leading scorer Josh Fowler who moved onto 16 for the season and sole ownership for now of the leadership position in the Premier Division scoring charts, Rory Sellick with the other Pewsey goal. Pewsey remain a point behind Wroughton and seven behind Kintbury with all of the top three having now played 12 games.

Fourth placed Letcombe lost ground on the top three when they were held to a 2-2 draw by visitors Larkhall Athletic Development, all four goals coming in the second half. It could have been even worse for Letcombe as they trailed the visitors twice during that second half. Thomas Dowell put Larkhall ahead on the hour mark, but substitute Callum Hendry restored parity only to see Dowell restore Larkhall’s lead 15 minutes from time. With ten minutes to go Letcombe once again got themselves back in the game, this time from the penalty spot, James Webster putting the spot kick away. With Larkhall having seen Farley McDowell dismissed for a second yellow card Letcombe sought to take advantage of the extra man in the closing stages but were unable to find a way through and had to settle in the end for a point against the young hard working Larkhall side.

Trowbridge Town are up to fifth place in the table after a hard-fought home win over Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development. Both sides had introduced experience into their ranks ahead of the game and it was to be one of those "old heads" who put the visitors two goals to the good, Chris Head, who normally plays for the Royal Wootton Bassett Town veterans’ side scoring the opener in the 25^th minute after he dispossessed Trowbridge keeper Rob Brown to coolly slot into an empty net. Head was at it again ten minutes later doubling the lead for Royal Wootton Bassett. Trowbridge got themselves back into the game a minute from half time, recent signing Jordan Kirk heading in from a corner to reduce the deficit as the teams turned round at the break. Trowbridge then got themselves back on level terms just before the hour mark, James Cox curling in a free kick that keeper Dan West failed to hold onto to make it 2-2. Three minutes later Trowbridge went in front for the first time in the game, and it was Cox again the scorer for his second of the game. Royal Wootton Bassett were to get themselves back in the game 20 minutes from time with a helping hand from the home side, Jacob Gardner’s mishit clearance eluding his own keeper Brown to level matters up at 3-3. There was to be a winner though and it came six minutes from time and for the second time in the game it came from a corner, substitute Nick Taylor heading in for what proved to be the winner for Trowbridge.

Allwyn Bodman was at the game with his camera and more of Allwyn's excellent pictures from this game can be viewed on the League Facebook Group page.

Kingsdown continue to climb the table, but only just scraped past Malmesbury Victoria Development who were able to augment their side with a handful of first team players after their fixture in the Hellenic League was postponed.  Two goals from Dan Jones with one in reply for Malmesbury from Rob Collier were enough to see Kingsdown home. The win saw them move onto 21 points, just a point behind fourth place Letcombe in a congested top half of the table below the top three, which sees just one point separating six teams. 

Also moving onto 21 points with an identical goal difference to Kingsdown are Park United who were 3-1 home winners over Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves on the 3G at Stanley Park. Two goals for Lewis McCarron saw him take his total for the season to five with Ben Pring bagging his eighth of the campaign for Park, James McSorley with the solitary goal for Bemerton who have hit something of a bad patch losing five games in a row.

Bemerton's Tony Smith was at the game with his camera and more of Tony Smith's excellent pictures from this game can be found at www.efc.smugmug.com.

As with the game at Trowbridge, there was another entertaining game with plenty of goals at Shrewton Recreation Ground where Shrewton United hosted Faringdon Town for the first ever meeting between the two teams. The visitors Faringdon had a couple of very early chances, but it was to be the home side who got themselves in front with just four minutes on the clock, Lewis Cross scoring with a deft header from a Brennan Knowles cross. Shrewton doubled their lead on 15 minutes, recent signing from Amesbury Town Jack Vallis with a trademark header from a corner for 2-0. Having gone two down away from home Faringdon could easily have folded but instead they fought to get themselves a foothold back in the game and were rewarded just after the half hour mark, an unmarked Josh Forth netting at the back post from a corner. Seven minutes later they were back on level terms, a ball over the top finding Harry Timbrell who fired his side level. A minute before half time it got even better for the visitors, another ball over the top finding Timbrell with the same result as he fired his side in front for the first time in the game. There was still time for more drama in the half, Vallis thinking he had equalised with a header from a free kick but the goal being ruled out for offside as the teams turned around with visitors Faringdon one goal to the good.

It remained that way until 20 minutes from time when Shrewton were awarded a penalty after Lewis Cross went down in the box. Brennan Knowles took the responsibility for the spot kick, and he saw his penalty hit the post but go into the other side of the net to level matters up at 3-3. Three minutes later Shrewton found themselves back in front in this topsy turvy game, Lewis Cross finding the head of Charlie Jackson who headed home. Two minutes later Jackson rounded off a tremendous five-minute spell for the home side when he fired in his second of the game with another assist from Cross. It remained 5-3 until two minutes from time when Leo Carter-Francis got on the end of a free kick to reduce the deficit for Faringdon. There were a few nervous moments for Shrewton at the end, but they held out to secure the three points in what appears to have been an enthralling game.

The final game in the division was at Sutton Park where Salisbury Development were Blunsdon’s visitors. An early goal for the visitors from Naman Gurung gave Salisbury the lead but an equaliser from Eliot Wheatley ensured a share of the points. The point for Salisbury was enough to lift them out of the bottom four places.

Division One

In Division One, league leaders Cricklade Town had taken the precaution of booking the 3G at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground after all the rain earlier in the week to ensure their game against Marlborough Town went ahead. It started well for the league leaders who were looking to record their ninth straight win, Callum Parsons putting them one up with just ten minutes on the clock. The lead did not last long though as Marlborough were back on level terms within three minutes only for Cricklade to go straight down the other end and immediately restore their one goal advantage through Scot Chilcott. Nine minutes later they increased their lead when Levi Cox scored his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-1 and it looked like they were well on their way to that ninth win of the season. Marlborough had other ideas though and scored a second on 35 minutes to trail by just the one goal at the break. Marlborough continued to push to get back into the game and the equaliser eventually came on 67 minutes to level matters up. Just as it looked like Cricklade would be dropping their first points of the season, Callum Parsons who had started the afternoon’s scoring, popped up with a second ten minutes from time with what proved to be the winner as Cricklade secured that ninth straight victory. Marlborough had certainly pushed them all the way, their goals coming through Jake Farrell, with two, and Zach Symon.

With Down Ampney engaged in County Cup action, Bishops Cannings had the chance to move second in the table with a win away at Pewsey Vale Development. It was mission accomplished for the Devizes based side as two goals from leading scorer Szyman Raczek, who took his tally for the season to 14, plus further goals from Caleb Hollow, Harry Drewitt and Jack Spanswick gave Bishops Cannings a 5-2 win, Liam Wood and player-manager Kierron Kiff with the Pewsey goals.

Devizes Town Reserves continued their good start to the season with a 4-1 home win over Kingsdown Development. Last season Liam Moffat had been their top scorer with 17 goals but had not registered on the score sheet in the seven games he had played so far this season but finally got off the mark on Saturday scoring two of the Devizes goals.  It was 1-1 at the break, Toby Baker scoring for Devizes and Callum Miller with the reply for Kingsdown. However, a much improved second half performance from Devizes saw Moffat score those two goals, one a header the other a volley, before substitute Rowan Anning rounded off a good afternoon for Ray King’s side with a fourth late on. The win for Devizes saw them move up to fourth spot, level on points with third placed Down Ampney, although they have played one more game than Down Ampney. 

Prior to Saturday’s game against Stratton Juniors, Bratton had gone three games without a win, their last victory having been the away fixture against Saturday’s opponents. Stratton were under new management with Alun Rossiter and Kevin Dunn having taken over as joint managers of the Swindon based club. Stratton twice led thanks to goals from young centre back Ryan Khumalo and Daniel Peapell and were 2-1 up with 20 minutes to go. However, a late rally from Bratton, which saw them score three times, to complete a quick-fire double over their opponents and end their mini winless run. For Bratton there were two goals for both Max Bishop and Jack Booth, with Booth also setting up Bishop for both of his goals. The win for Bratton saw them move to within three points of sixth placed Marlborough Town with a game in hand.

Just below Bratton are Kintbury Rangers Development who were the biggest winners in the league on Saturday. Leading 3-0 at half time they added a further eight unanswered goals after the break to record their biggest win of the season. Byron Regan led the way scoring four of the Kintbury goals, including a first half hat trick. There was a hat-trick for Tane Newton-Cook in the second half with Paul Hirst getting two with the other two goals coming through Luke Conner and Josh Wallin.

There was Fountain Trophies Cup action at Trowbridge Road where Bradford Town Reserves hosted a  Redhouse side who had parted company with manager Warren Fuller in the week after a tough run of results. Redhouse Veteran’s team manager Darren Grace has taken temporary charge, and he was to get off to a winning start, although few would have predicted the final score when the teams turned around at half time with the score at 1-1. A blistering second half showing from Redhouse saw them score six unanswered goals to run out 7-1 winners to progress to the Second Round. Jack Duffy scored a hat-trick for the visitors, with Cameron Shrubb, Ryan Butler and Pedro Nchana also all getting on the score sheet.  

Down Ampney safely negotiated the First Round of the Gloucestershire FA Intermediate North County Cup with an easy 12-0 win over Stonehouse Town 3rds from the Stroud & District League. Harvey Coster led the way scoring four of the 12 goals, Connor Hibbs bagged a hat-trick, Steve Algar scored twice and there was one apiece for George Bailey, Daniel Midwinter and Sam Dibble. Down Ampney will now meet Longhope from the North Glos League Division 1 in the Second Round on Saturday 26th October.

Next week the focus in both divisions is the Fountain Trophies Cup with 13 First Round ties and just the one league game on Saturday in the Premier Division between Shrewton United and Trowbridge Town. There is also one Premier Division game in midweek when Royal Wootton Bassett Town Development host Malmesbury Vics Development.

For exclusive insight from the team managers of our clubs read Your Sport's Swindon weekly coverage of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. For details of how to subscribe see the advert below.

29 September 2024