Premier Division

It was a historic evening at Tucker Park on Wednesday as Faringdon Town played their first game under their new floodlights with near neighbours Shrivenham their first opponents for an illuminated evening game. The historic occasion drew a bumper crowd with over 250 in attendance. On what was to be a very wet evening the home side suffered a blow when, with just three minutes on the clock, influential Peter Fletcher was forced to come off due to an injury. Shrivenham had the better of things in the early stages and joint leading scorer Brad Hirst had the first real chance of the game on six minutes, cutting in from the left his effort across goal in the end looked more of a cross than shot but eluded everyone in the box and went well wide of the far post. Shrivenham went close again when the ball fell to Chris Rivers on the edge of the box, but his shot went over the crossbar, and it remained 0-0. The deadlock was broken 15 minutes in, and the goal went the way of the visitors Shrivenham. Defender Josh Forth misjudged the bounce of the ball and saw the ball go over his head straight to Brad Hirst. This allowed Hirst a clear run at goal and his low shot at the end of it was well saved by Jack Gibson in the Faringdon goal but unfortunately for the Faringdon keeper the ball fell nicely into the path of James Hirst who was following up and he made no mistake firing into the net to put Shrivenham 1-0 up. Five minutes later Shrivenham went close to extending their lead, Jacob Newdick getting behind the Faringdon back line but hitting his shot just over the bar with the goal at his mercy. The first real chance of the night for the home side came on 24 minutes, Matthew Bibby cutting in from the left hitting a shot which was on target but was hit straight at Shrivenham keeper Liam Keville. Faringdon went close to creating another good chance six minutes from time, the ball falling to Harry Timbrell in the box, but the Shrivenham defence closed him down quickly before he could get a shot on goal and the danger was averted as the two teams turned round with Shrivenham one goal to the good.

The second half got underway with the rain still falling and Faringdon found themselves up against it when they were temporarily reduced to ten men, Jamie Tuck being sent to the sin bin after disputing the booking picked up by teammate Josh Forth. Shrivenham were unable to take advantage of the extra man though, the closest they went to adding to the score sheet was when an audacious lob from deep within their own half bounced over Gibson in the Faringdon goal, but he just did enough to prevent the ball going over the line. At the other end Faringdon went close to an equaliser on the hour mark when Max Wills saw his shot turned around the post by Keville. Five minutes later Wills went close again with shot which hit the outside of the post, and it remained 1-0. Two minutes later Faringdon went close again, Daniel Loyden seeing his effort tipped onto the crossbar by Keville who was having a great game in goal for the visitors. Whilst Faringdon were certainly having the better of things in the second half it was not all one-way traffic. Eighteen minutes from time Jacob Newdick was denied twice in succession by Gibson in the Faringdon goal, with Gibson pulling off a great save from the initial shot from Newdick and then saving again when the ball fell back to teh Shrivenham striker. Both keepers were excelling on the night and next up it was Keville’s turn, the Shrivenham keeper turning over Loyden’s header. At the other end Shrivenham went in search of that elusive second to make sure of the points, Brad Hirst going close with a first time shot after he was found with a cross from the right.

It remained just the one goal in the game but there was to be added drama in the closing stages when in added time at the end of the game Shrivenham found themselves reduced to ten men, substitute Alex Harrison seeing red for a foul on Bibby. However, Shrivenham managed to see out the remainder of added time without conceding as it finished 1-0. So, Faringdon’s big night did not end with a victory, but the club were rewarded on a historic night with a bumper crowd which saw £140 raised from collection tins in memory of Jack Badger, which Faringdon rounded up to £200, with Shrivenham also set to donate a further £100 to the fund for the family of their former player. The win saw Shrivenham open up a six-point gap over Larkhall Athletic Development and they are now within three points of their beaten opponents with a game in hand.

Your Sport Swindon were at the game with their cameras and subscribers can view highlights of the match and interviews with the respective team managers and the Faringdon Town Chairman by clicking on the link below or using the link on the Your Sport Swindon page of the League Website which also has links to other games in the league covered by Your Sport Swindon.

Park United are one of the form teams in the division and on Wednesday night travelled to the edge of Bath to take on Larkhall Athletic Development unbeaten in four games, three of which had been won. A big thank you to the two teams for agreeing to reinstating the league fixture at short notice once it became clear that Park's County Cup game against Malmesbury Victoria Development was not going to be taking place. The improving Park side produced one of their best performances of the season to avenge the home defeat they had suffered at the hands of Larkhall back in August, scoring four unanswered goals against the young Larkhall side. Leading scorer Lewis McCarron led the way firing a hat-trick to take his total for the season into double figures, substitute Jake Angell with the other Park goal. The win for Park United saw them climb up to fourth place in the table, an impressive showing in their first season as a Senior club.

Wiltshire Senior Cup

One of the three outstanding games in the Wiltshire Senior Cup was played on Tuesday night  and it saw Melksham Town Reserves progress to the quarter final at the expense of fellow Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division side Pewsey Vale thanks to two goals from Luke Ballinger and one from Leo Rendell in a 3-1 win, Andy Rossiter with the Pewsey goal. It was not Pewsey's night as they had two players dismissed, ending the game with just nine men. Melksham Town Reserves will be away to near neighbours Devizes Town in the quarter final.

The game between Wroughton and Amesbury Town will now be this Saturday, whilst the game between Park United and Malmesbury Victoria Dev will now be the following Saturday at Park. 

Fountain Trophies Senior Cup

One of the two outstanding games in the First Round of the Fountain Trophies Cup was also played on Tuesday night when Division One side Kintbury Rangers Development were looking to cause a cup upset against Premier Division side Trowbridge Town in difficult wet conditions. Although at the end of the night it would be the Premier Division side who would progress to the next round they certainly knew they had been in a game as they were pushed all the way by the Division One side. It started well for the home side Kintbury as Harry Murtagh put them 1-0 up with just four minutes on the clock. Trowbridge got themselves back on level terms on 24 minutes, Nick Taylor putting a pass across the box which found Tom Gilbert who beat his man and slotted the ball home from close range. It remained all square at the break. It was to remain that way until 13 minutes from time. Having been put under pressure by the home side for periods of the second half, Trowbridge broke quickly from defence and ball into the box from Chev Allen found Taylor at the far post who fired in off a Kintbury defender for 2-1. That would prove to be the winning goal as Trowbridge progressed to the last 16 of the competition where they will be home to Pewsey Vale in the Second Round.

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18 October 2024