Wiltshire County FA Cup

This week in the Ladies Divisions of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League focus of attention switched to the First Round of the Wiltshire FA County Cup and the headline makers are Bemerton Heath Harlequins who made it through to the Second Round by defeating opposition from the South West Regional Women’s League Division One North. Last season in the old Wiltshire County Women’s and Girls League Corsham Town had dominated matters winning all 22 league games and also winning the League Cup defeating Bemerton in the final 4-2. On Sunday Bemerton avenged that cup final defeat by beating Corsham by the same score in the County Cup thanks to two goals from Zoe Ridley, plus further goals from Leanne Harvey and Leanne Griffiths-Lower, Chauntine Lyons and Lucia Ramos with the Corsham goals. Bemerton will be home to Marlborough Town in the Second Round.

Premier Division side Kingsdown and Development Division side Blunsdon were also up against South West Regional Women’s League Division One North opposition and there was to be no happy ending for the two Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League sides in these fixtures. Kingsdown  entertained Purton at Kingsdown School and were beaten 9-1 by their higher league opponents, Charlotte Chandler with the consolation goal for Kingsdown.

Blunsdon had an even tougher fixture away to the highest placed Wiltshire side in the South West Regional Women’s League, Royal Wootton Bassett Town and fell to an 18-0 defeat. Despite the final score line Blunsdon kept going until the end and kept their higher level opposition at bay for the opening ten minutes but once the first goal went in there was no stopping their opponents who demonstrated the big gulf between the level at which the two teams currently play their league games, highlighting the need for a two-tier competition in the Women’s game similar to the men’s. Both Caitlin Brooks and Lucy Goodright fired double hat-tricks for Royal Wootton Bassett, Maddy Elliott registered a hat-trick and there were further goals from Hannah Gulliver, Cara Sommerville and an own goal.

Two further sides from the Premier Division are through to the Second Round. FC Chippenham may still be looking for their first league point following the withdrawal of Durrington but they had a good win in the County Cup First Round scoring seven times against Ashton Keynes. Tyler Webb led the way with four goals, scoring twice in each half, Amy Totterdell bagged a brace and Olivia Nowak with the other FC Chippenham, Leanne Ross and Megan Pacini amongst the goals for Ashton Keynes. FC Chippenham will now be away to Development Division Malmesbury Victoria in the Second Round.

Swindon Supermarine were involved in a much closer game against Highworth Town Under 18s, not the Highworth Town side who play in the Premier Division. In the end goals from Emma Masi and Beth Turner were enough to give Supermarine a 2-1 win and a place in the last 16. Supermarine’s prize for defeating one Highworth Town side is a Second Round tie against the Highworth Town side in our Premier Division.

Two teams from the Development Division were also winners in the First Round on Sunday, beating fellow Development Division opponents to make it through to the last 16. At Salisbury, where Marlborough Town were the visitors, penalties were needed to settle matters after it finished 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes, Nicole Kirkman with both Salisbury goals, Nicola Hobbs and Emily Feilder with the two Marlborough goals. It was Marlborough who held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out winning 4-3 to make it through to the next round and that tie against Bemerton Heath Harlequins.  

The final First Round tie saw Division One leaders Trowbridge Wanderers secure a comfortable passage through to the Second Round with a 9-1 win over Ferndale Rodbourne. Leading 4-0 at the break, Wanderers added five more in the second half with Nathalie Mullis grabbing a hat-trick, Jamie-Lee Curtis and Tilly Dunnery both scoring twice with Megan Keast and Erin Wilkins both scoring one apiece, Amy Liddiard with the consolation goal for Ferndale Rodbourne. Trowbridge’s win means they are actually through to the Quarter Final as their scheduled opponents would have been Durrington who can no longer take part having withdrawn from the league. All the results from Sunday plus details of the Second Round draw are shown below:

Premier Division

There was just one game played in the Ladies Premier Division and it saw Melksham Town  pick up their  second win of the season with a narrow 2-1 victory over Calne Town. Lily Summers gave Melksham a 1-0 lead but Ellie Hamill had Calne back on level terms by the break. The second half saw Melksham captain Sarah Ward grab a winner to give her side the three points. The win for Melksham saw them move above their beaten opponents in the league table.

This coming Sunday league leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins are away to Westbury Youth looking to extend their lead at the top of the table. When they met on the opening day of the season Bemerton hit 13 unanswered goals and will start favourites to maintain their perfect start to the season. Second placed Highworth Town  have a tough looking fixture away at Kingsdown in what will be the third meeting of the two sides this season. The two again played each other on the opening day of the season with Highworth edging a close game by the odd goal, 2-1 the final score on that day. They then met in the First Round of the League Cup, with Highworth winning that one 4-2.  AFC Brislington were 4-2 winners over Calne Town when they met on the opening day of the season and will be looking to complete a league double on Sunday. The final game this coming Sunday sees Melksham Town  entertain FC Chippenham, with the two sides meeting for the first time this season due to FC Chippenham being involved in the FA Cup at the start of the season.

Development Division

There were no league fixtures in Division One last Sunday but there are set to be three games this coming Sunday, all of which are again reverse fixtures from the opening Sunday of the season. League leaders Trowbridge Wanderers  are away to Salisbury who they beat 3-1 on that first Sunday of the season. After Sunday's big loss in the County Cup, Blunsdon travel to Marlborough Town who defeated them 12-0 in what was their first ever game. They will be hoping for a much closer game in the reverse fixture on Sunday although Marlborough will be keen to complete a league double. Also looking to complete a league double will be Malmesbury Victoria who were 5-0 winners over Ferndale Rodbourne on the opening day. 

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12 November 2024